Research to address health impact of indoor air pollution

By Wang Wei
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, July 25, 2016
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Research will be launched to evaluate the health impact of indoor air pollution in urban public spaces by the International Ecological Economy Promotion Association (IEEPA), announced Li Junyang, secretary-general of the IEEPA, at a seminar in Beijing on July 24, 2016.

The seminar was held to solicit opinions on the research from experts in government departments and universities as well as entrepreneurs which aim to improve the indoor environment of public spaces.

Experts in government departments and universities as well as entrepreneurs which aim to improve the indoor environment of public spaces attend the seminar in Beijing on July 24, 2016. [China.org.cn]

Experts in government departments and universities as well as entrepreneurs which aim to improve the indoor environment of public spaces attend the seminar in Beijing on July 24, 2016. [China.org.cn]

The initial project will target the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, he said, adding that air pollution causes different health effects in cities whose air pollution levels, pollutants and demographic compositions are different from each other.

Exposure to poor air quality inside and outside is the world's fourth threat to human health, following high blood pressure, dietary risks and smoking, according to a new report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on June 27, 2016.

"Air pollution is a problem felt around the world, particularly by the poorest in society. No country is immune as a staggering 80 percent of cities that monitor pollution levels fail to meet the air quality standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO)," it said.

The WHO estimates that every year 4.3 million deaths occur due to exposure to indoor air pollution and 3.7 million deaths are attributable to outdoor air pollution. The data has been quoted by participants at the seminar, who believe that indoor environments have increasingly adverse effects on human health.

A first-of-its-kind research report on indoor air quality, released by Tsinghua University on April 22, 2015, has revealed that on average the intake of PM2.5 – airborne particulate matter – indoors is four times as great as it is outdoors during a day that experiences hazy weather. The result shows that compared to outdoors, indoor exposure to PM2.5 imposes more health effects on human beings.

Wang Jinnan, vice president and chief engineer of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning (CAEP), a research institution affiliated to the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, emphasized the importance of scientific assessment of health benefits in numbers based on the national air pollution control campaign. He suggested that the IEEPA research on indoor air pollution should follow this practice for the sake of decision makers and public awareness.

Wang Jinnan, vice president and chief engineer of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning (CAEP), addresses the seminar in Beijing on July 24, 2016. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn]

Wang Jinnan, vice president and chief engineer of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning (CAEP), addresses the seminar in Beijing on July 24, 2016. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn]

Gao Guilin, a professor of the School of Law at the Capital University of Economics and Business, reaffirmed the practical significance of the research in terms of legislation.

The amended Law on Environmental Protection, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2015, has clearly pointed out that "this Law is formulated for the purpose of…safeguarding public health" in Article 1. What's more, as the newly-added provision – Article 39 – says, the State shall establish and improve environment and health monitoring, investigation and risk assessment systems, encourage and organize research on environmental quality impacts to public health, and adopt measures to prevent and control diseases related to environmental pollution.

"The two special provisions provide a solid legal base for more work on health issues related to the environment," Gao said. "That will definitely give birth to more new industries related to the environment and health."

Priority should be given to improving indoor air quality where vulnerable groups gather, such as children and old people, Gao emphasized at the seminar.

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