The artificial lungs, called the lung billboard, were installed by a non-government organisation called the Waatavaran Foundation. A giant pair of artificial lungs fitted with filters and fans to mimic the human lungs, fitted in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar by an environmental organisation on Friday, started turning black within a day. This comes four weeks after …

In 1 day, giant lung billboard at Kharghar starts to turn black due to pollution Read More »

Like humans, trees also have the capacity to tolerate a certain level of pollution in their surroundings. A study to understand the tolerance to air pollutants among trees growing around the Lohegaon area of the city has found that peepal trees are the most tolerant, whereas tamarind trees are highly sensitive. One of the main …

‘Peepal trees around Pune airport more tolerant to air pollution’: Study Read More »

Meeting air pollution control goals under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) could go a long way in improving child health in India, a new research paper has concluded, finding a strong correlation between high outdoor pollution and prevalence of anaemia among children under the age of five years. A research led by the Centre …

Air pollution raises childhood anaemia risk: Research Read More »

Six years into the Swachh Bharat Abiyaan, much has been achieved. Thousands of sanitary toilets have been constructed across the country, including in urban slums — an area that was in dire need of access to safe sanitation. But are the toilets being used? If not , why not? Anand Jagtap, Ex-Officer on Special Duty …

Odour vs ODF – Challenges & Communities Read More »

The city’s air quality index (AQI) deteriorated to 319 on Friday, the worst since the fire at the Deonar dumping ground on January 29, 2016, when it was 341. Unusually, parts of Mumbai recorded rains in the early hours of the day; in the last decade, the city had seen January rain only in 2014. …

Mumbai breathes its worst air since 2016 Read More »

As the problem of open burning rages across the city despite complaints, urban local bodies like BMC are coming under greater scrutiny for solid waste management and redressal mechanisms. Introducing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the kitchens of the poor under a government scheme is one solution that has helped reduce burning of biomass like …

Mumbai: Air quality drops with rise in garbage, overflow at landfills Read More »

Air pollution in Mumbai is mostly associated with heavy industry or traffic, but the fact that biomass is burnt on almost every street goes unnoticed.  Part of the reason is the extent of the slum population, which is forced to scavenge for wood, coal, plastic to keep kitchen fires burning. The other factor is lack …

Mumbai: Burning of wood, plastic now biggest air pollution factor Read More »

There are several sources of indoor air pollution. These include smoke from fuel burned for heating and cooking, smoke from tobacco, building materials (paints, varnishes, wood flooring, etc.), adhesives in furniture and electronics, broken CFLs and tube lights, excess moisture, and overall outdoor air pollution. Out of these sources, burning solid fuel for cooking is …

Household air pollution from solid fuels and its invisible solution Read More »

That air pollution doesn’t show up as a cause for death on death certificates anywhere is due to a technicality. “If people that died from air pollution were marked with green spots, it would be very easy for everyone to understand. But when people’s lives are shortened by air pollution, they die of the things …

The silent pandemic hiding in plain sight is air pollution. No government is willing to regulate it Read More »

Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles. A recent study reported that long-term exposure to air pollution increases the severity of COVID-19 health outcomes, including death, is an important public health objective. Higher historical …

Air Pollution And Covid-19: A Dangerous Mix Read More »