LightAir internally
The WHO's global Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) provide clear evidence of the various harms that air pollution causes to humans, at much lower concentrations than previously understood. Since 2005 - the last update of the global guidelines - there has undoubtedly been a marked increase in research and evidence showing how air pollution affects different aspects of our health.
For this reason, and after a systematic review of the accumulated evidence, the WHO has adjusted almost all AQG levels downwards. It also warns that exceeding the new air quality guidelines is associated with significant health risks, while complying with them will save millions of lives.
Disease burden in line with global health risks such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking
Every year, exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause seven million premature deaths and damage millions more healthy lives. In children, this can include reduced lung growth and function, respiratory infections and worsening asthma. In adults, heart disease and stroke due to air pollution are the most common causes of premature death. Evidence on other side effects such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases is also presented. This compares the burden of disease caused by air pollution with other major global health risks, such as unhealthy diets and tobacco smoking.
WHO notes that the health risks associated with particles equal to or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (µm) in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5 respectively) are of particular relevance to public health. Both PM2.5 and PM10 have the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs but PM2.5 can even enter the bloodstream, resulting mainly in cardiovascular diseases, respiratory effects and can also negatively affect other organs.
Worryingly, more than 90% of the world's population in 2019 lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 higher air quality guidelines for long-term exposure to PM2.0. At the same time, it is possible to actively counteract the trend. Countries with strong policy-driven improvements in poor air quality have often seen marked reductions in air pollution, while declines over the past 30 years were less noticeable in regions with already reasonably good air quality.
According to a rapid scenario analysis, WHO estimates that almost 80% of PM2.5-related deaths could be avoided worldwide if current air pollution levels were reduced to those proposed in the updated guidelines. At the same time, the achievement of specified interim targets would reduce the burden of disease, of which the greatest benefit would obviously be observed in countries with large populations and high concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5).
"When it comes to outdoor air quality, there are of course big differences between urban and rural areas, or if you compare different countries or regions with each other," says Lars Liljeholm, CEO of LightAir. "This is not only a challenge for industry-dense areas in fast-growing economies, but there are plenty of addresses in the Western world that have sky-high particle levels, which of course affect people negatively as each adult individual breathes 20,000 liters of air per day. While this external pressure should in no way be underestimated when looking at air quality in offices and schools, it must be remembered that around 80% of particles in indoor air are actually created by activities that take place within the walls of the building."
LightAir offers homes, schools and offices innovative solutions for effective air purification and virus control. Offered technologies clean even 99.99% of particles as small as PM0.1, which is roughly equivalent to individual viruses or hazardous traffic pollutants generated by internal combustion engines.
"I can hardly imagine a better motivation for me and my colleagues than working on clean and virus-free air. We work with these challenging issues on a daily basis, and it is extremely stimulating to ultimately make a difference in people's daily lives and improve the health of society," concludes Liljeholm.
We are facing a tough virus autumn and flu winter with an increased spread of infection in offices and classrooms. Lessons from the pandemic years should be drawn, including the possibility of adding technology as one of the layers of protection in the fight against viruses and influenza.
We are facing a tough virus autumn and flu winter with an increased spread of infection in offices and classrooms. Lessons from the pandemic years should be drawn, including the possibility of adding technology as one of the layers of protection in the fight against viruses and influenza.
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