Deadly impact of air pollution

The climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, and we are not ready for it. While the crisis has many factors that play a role in its exacerbation, there are some that warrant more attention than others. The effects of air pollution on the human body vary depending on the type of pollutant and the length and level of exposure as well as other factors, including a person’s individual health risks and the cumulative impacts of multiple pollutants or stressors.Most air pollution comes from energy use and production. Burning fossil fuels releases gases and chemicals into the air. And in an especially destructive feedback loop, air pollution not only contributes to climate change but is also exacerbated by it. Air pollution in the form of carbon dioxide and methane raises the earth’s temperature,

Another type of air pollution, smog, is then worsened by that increased heat, forming when the weather is warmer and there’s more ultraviolet radiation. Climate change also increases the production of allergenic air pollutants; including mold and pollen Environmental issues related to the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh appear to have taken a back seat in recent years. Much more focus has been placed upon social aspects, including factory safety, workers’ welfare, and pay and employment conditions in the RMG factories. The reason for the shift away from the environment and pollution as a talking point is largely because of the progress the industry has made in reducing its environmental burden. Around a decade ago Greenpeace, an international direct-action group, began a campaign against the use of potentially hazardous chemicals in fashion supply chains.

Many chemicals are used in supply chains, particularly in the dyeing and finishing of clothing Greenpeace’s campaign focused on reducing the amount of hazardous chemicals used, and put the spotlight on how dyeing and finishing units dispose of their effluent into the environment. According to the report, dyeing factories in Shyampur have been polluting the Buriganga River by releasing raw liquid waste directly into its water. Experts warn that if this is not addressed in time, the local residents could suffer from serious health hazards. We also know from experience that textile pollutants can harm aquatic animals and damage ecosystems. Reportedly, the river is already in a poor state. The researchers who carried out the study claim that a total of 80-100 dyeing factories in Shyampur are releasing their liquid waste chemicals into the river. RMG sector has taken giant strides on environmental issues in recent years. This progress cannot be allowed to be undone by a lack of proper regulatory oversight or investment in equipment and technology to effectively treat effluent before it is released into our water bodies. Sophisticated technology to treat waste water has existed for decades. Why is it not being used in this scenario? Why are we letting our rivers be poisoned, threatening local lives and potentially soiling our hard-won international reputation?There are calls for a common effluent treatment plant (ETP) for dyeing factories in Shyampur as an absolute emergency to save the river from pollution.

But the factory owners are also said to be complaining that the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority is not providing land for such a plant. From the story, it seems none of the various government authorities involved is taking responsibility for the situation. We can’t afford to have a situation like that regarding an issue as important as environmental pollution. How much would it cost to set up a central ETP in the area? And why is it not happening immediately? Air pollution is one of the deadliest environmental concerns for human beings. In 2019, it contributed to 6.7 million deaths worldwide. Worryingly, 20 percent of newborn deaths in the world have been due to air pollution. In the State of Global Air Report 2020, it is ranked fourth among global risk factors for mortality, after high blood pressure, tobacco consumption, and poor diet. They live in large cities without basic amenities. Currently, nearly half of the world’s population lives in the cities which is likely to rise to 70 percent by 2050. Bangladeshi cities are vulnerable to air pollution due to vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, and large-scale construction activities. Large cities such as Dhaka are particularly vulnerable to air pollution. Urbanisation is a natural process and a global phenomenon, but urbanisation in Dhaka is alarming. It is overcrowded the densest city in the world in terms of population size. Like all megacities in the world, Dhaka attracts millions of people from all over the country for better economic opportunities. While all these are positive initiatives, their implementation is quite challenging in a country like Bangladesh.

It is not uncommon that certain pressure groups always try to influence the regulatory bodies and get away with the crimes of polluting beyond the level set by the DoE. That is why we still see unfit vehicles on the road, or brick kilns operating in full capacity across the country. At times, it becomes a source of rent seeking. The other instrument to curb air pollution is economic incentives through various fiscal measures, such as emission tax and liability payment for pollution. This approach makes the polluting entities pay for their actions. Interest subsidies on loans for purchasing emission treatment plants are also a market incentive for pollution control. The government earning from emission taxes can be used for the social protection of the poor and other social development activities. Here, the implementation-related problems arise again. In Bangladesh, in many cases, there are difficulties in getting relevant and correct information to determine tax on a polluting industry. Particularly, information on the actual income or profit is not often reported. Therefore, the tax imposed on a polluter may be lower than the actual cost created through harming the environment.Both methods are difficult to be applied properly in Bangladesh due to weak governance and lack of resources. Moreover, how these will impact the poor and low-income groups should also be taken into considera-tion.Strict implementation of the environmental policies may reduce livelihood opportunities of the poor, who rely on nature to make a living. Therefore, while implementing environmental measures, fiscal policies must be crafted to provide social protection to the poor.

Air pollution is a major environmental health threat.Exposure to fine particles in both the ambient environment and in the household causes about seven million premature deaths each year. Ambient air pollution alone imposes enormous costs on the global economy, amounting to more than US 5 trillion dollars  in total welfare losses in 2013.This public health crisis is receiving more attention, but one critical aspect is often overlooked, how air pollution affects  children in uniquely damaging ways. Recent data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that air pollution has a vast and terrible impact on child health and survival. Globally, 93 per cent of all children live in environments with air pollution levels above the WHO guidelines. More than one in every four deaths of children under five years of age is directly or indirectly related to environmental risks. Both ambient air pollution and household air pollution contribute to respiratory tract infections that resulted in 543 000 deaths in children under the age of 5 years in 2016. Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air pollutants which are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. According to the World Health Organization, each year, air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe. Nine out of ten human beings currently breathe air that exceeds the WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants, with those living in low and middle-income countries suffering the most. In the United States, the Clean Air Act, established in 1970, authorizes the US.

The writer is a researcher based in the UK. He can be contacted at raihan567@yahoo.co.uk