The damaging cost of air pollution

The ongoing onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us humans so many lessons. One of those was definitely the value of life. Those of us who have seen their near ones dying in front of our eyes now at least know how it actually feels to get asphyxiated. Many of our near and dear ones have died since the outbreak of coronavirus due to breathing problems and an inability to breathe oxygen. Despite the fact that we have experienced first-hand how a shortage of oxygen can kill us in an instant, we are still so careless about air pollution. Air is the primary and main source of oxygen. Everyday our air quality is deteriorating and still there is no viable action from any concerns or state organs. Just imagine – if some day arrives upon us when there will be no source of pure oxygen in our capital, then what will happen to us and our health? 

According to a recent report, Dhaka has ranked second worst on the world Air Quality Index (AQI) whereas Bangladesh’s air quality was the worst in the world in 2020. Can we measure the price we are paying for such bothering level of air pollution? Yes, now we can. According to the findings of a recent global study published in the latest edition of the Energy Policy Institute at Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), the dwellers of the capital could have lived 7.7 years longer if the air quality was better. It also revealed that the average life expectancy of a Bangladeshi is cut short by at least 5.4 years because of air pollution.    

Apart from a reduced life expectancy, we are paying many other prices owing to air pollution. First of all, air pollution or hazardous air quality is a silent killer that is taking a heavy toll on our mental and physical health. Whenever you step out of your home and go out on the streets, just look around. You will see smog all around. The situation is further compounded by dust particles in the air. If you breathe, you will easily feel that the air you are inhaling is not pure. The aftermath can easily be understood if you have a child. Most of the children (especially those living in the capital) nowadays suffer from cold and flu problems round the year. One of the major reasons behind these rising cases of common cold among children is hazardous air quality. Children who grow up in the capital develop dust allergy from a very young age. Consequently, they keep suffering from pneumonia-related problems. Not only young people, even adults are suffering due to hazardous air quality.

Air pollution not only affects us physically, but also leaves lasting impacts on the mental condition of the inhabitants and commuters. A study has recently been published in the British Journal of Psychiatry on the connection between mental illness and air pollution. The study was conducted involving 13,000 people living in London. It was found that exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased severity of mental illness. As our air quality is worse than London, our situation will predictably be poorer.

In such a backdrop, what is the way out? There is no respite, at least for the time being, in sight. However, long-term plans can pay off. Firstly, if we want to get fresh air, we must plant more and more trees in the capital. There could be no better way to improve the air quality than planting a great number of trees as the most serene source of oxygen is trees. Out capital is almost like a desert and there is a serious dearth of trees. To improve air quality, tree plantation is a must.

Next, the country needs to move towards clean energy options instead of relying on fossil fuel. Especially, public transports are a major cause of pollution as these emit harmful smoke in the air. Strategies must be taken to inspire the transport owners to go for clean energy options like LPG. A public transport system heavily reliant on LPG can help to a great extent to better the situation as far as air quality is concerned.

Moreover, the presence of dust particles in the air is a cause of concern. A large number of under-construction buildings in the capital contribute to this problem. While carrying out construction works, it must be made mandatory for the developers to use canopies so that the exposure to dust particles emitting from the construction sites can be minimized. 

At the same time, effective policies need to be taken with regards to the brick kilns. According to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company specializing in protection against airborne pollutants, brick kilns are the single largest source of PM2.5 pollution in Dhaka. Informal estimates say there are over 2,000 kilns located in and around the capital that burn coal to create bricks. This is really bad for the environment and also polluting the air quality significantly.

Under such circumstances, we need to jolt ourselves out of the inertia and act. We cannot leave a city infested with air pollution for the posterity. At least, for the sake of the next generation, we need to take some serious actions so that we can go down a few notches in the air quality index. Stringent measures against those violating environmental laws and contributing in some way or other to rising air pollution could be a good first step in this regard.

The writer is a communications professional. He can be contacted   at malammohabbat@gmail.com