Diseases caused by air pollution kill 10,000 people a year in capital
The study observed that air pollution entails economic losses to 3-4 per cent of the country's national GDP
Over 10,000 people are killed in the capital per year because of diseases caused by air pollution from suspended particulate matters.A recent study on risk assessment of particulate matter and other causes of air pollution was conducted to find out the economic losses due to the adverse health effects of the pollution.(BSS)
Prof AK Azad and Prof S Jahan of Environmental Science Discipline of Khulna University and Prof J Sultana of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology conducted the study recently.
Among the pollutants, SPM, whose levels are 5 to 6 times higher than Bangladesh Standard in the heavily polluted areas in Dhaka, is the most harmful one. The SPM composed of fully dispersed liquids and solids, including soot, dust and organic and inorganic substances.
The study found that pollution is causing 74,000 cases of chronic bronchitis, about 70 million cases of restricted activity days, about 14,000 cases of respiratory hospital diseases, over 286,000 emergency room visits, about 2.8 million cases of asthma attacks and over 220 million respiratory symptom days each year in the capital alone.
The study observed that air pollution entails economic losses to 3-4 per cent of the country's national GDP. After evaluating economic impacts, the study estimated loses in billions of taka accumulated from the cost of death, chronic bronchitis and restrictive activity days.
It also estimated Taka one billion as cost for treatment of respiratory diseases, Taka five billion cost of asthma attacks and Taka six billion as cost of respiratory related diseases.
"Three pollutants - suspended particulate matter (SPM), Sulphur dioxide and air-borne lead-pose a significant air pollution problem, having major public health impacts," says the study.
Air pollution also reduces food production and timber harvests, because high levels of pollution impair photosynthesis. In Germany, for example, about 4.7 billion US dollar a year in agricultural production is lost to high levels of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.
Automobile and industrial emissions, bad civic practices and poor government services are some of the major factors causing air pollution.
A World Bank report recently said air pollution kills 15,000 Bangladeshis each year. The report says the country could save between 200 million and 800 million US dollars a year - about 0.7 to 3.0 per cent of its gross national product - if air pollution in its four major cities was reduced.
http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/leading%20news.htm
Prof AK Azad and Prof S Jahan of Environmental Science Discipline of Khulna University and Prof J Sultana of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology conducted the study recently.
Among the pollutants, SPM, whose levels are 5 to 6 times higher than Bangladesh Standard in the heavily polluted areas in Dhaka, is the most harmful one. The SPM composed of fully dispersed liquids and solids, including soot, dust and organic and inorganic substances.
The study found that pollution is causing 74,000 cases of chronic bronchitis, about 70 million cases of restricted activity days, about 14,000 cases of respiratory hospital diseases, over 286,000 emergency room visits, about 2.8 million cases of asthma attacks and over 220 million respiratory symptom days each year in the capital alone.
The study observed that air pollution entails economic losses to 3-4 per cent of the country's national GDP. After evaluating economic impacts, the study estimated loses in billions of taka accumulated from the cost of death, chronic bronchitis and restrictive activity days.
It also estimated Taka one billion as cost for treatment of respiratory diseases, Taka five billion cost of asthma attacks and Taka six billion as cost of respiratory related diseases.
"Three pollutants - suspended particulate matter (SPM), Sulphur dioxide and air-borne lead-pose a significant air pollution problem, having major public health impacts," says the study.
Air pollution also reduces food production and timber harvests, because high levels of pollution impair photosynthesis. In Germany, for example, about 4.7 billion US dollar a year in agricultural production is lost to high levels of sulphur, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.
Automobile and industrial emissions, bad civic practices and poor government services are some of the major factors causing air pollution.
A World Bank report recently said air pollution kills 15,000 Bangladeshis each year. The report says the country could save between 200 million and 800 million US dollars a year - about 0.7 to 3.0 per cent of its gross national product - if air pollution in its four major cities was reduced.
http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/leading%20news.htm
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