World Health Organisation issues new Global Air Quality Guidelines

The World Health Organisation (WHO) issued new Global Air Quality Guidelines yesterday in a bid to help tackle the growing number of deaths attributed to air pollution.

The revised WHO Guidelines aim to reduce the levels of air pollutants including particulate matter (PM), ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO).

This move has been welcomed by Filtermist's parent company Absolent Air Care Group whose companies have manufactured and supplied a range of oil mist, dust, smoke and fume filters used in industrial applications for more than 50 years.

“The WHO press release states that the health risks associated with particulate matter equal or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (µm) in diameter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅, respectively) are of particular public health relevance,” comments Absolent Air Care Group CEO, Axel Berntsson. “As we have known for a long time, it says both PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs but PM₂.₅ can even enter the bloodstream, primarily resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, and also affecting other organs.”

Particulate Matter is mainly generated by fuel combustion in transport, commercial and domestic energy consumption, and in industrial processes.

Axel continues, “When people think about air pollution, it is still common to think this is primarily related to external air quality, but internal air quality is just as, if not more so, important. Most adults breathe in and out between 12-20 times per minute when resting. That equates to 17,280 or 28,800 breaths per day - or an average of 23,040 breaths per day. That breaks down into 960 breaths per hour. Multiplying this figure by an average 8 hour working day shows that workers operating in polluted environments are potentially breathing in 7,680 breaths of contaminated air every working day!

The term Particulate Matter includes solid and liquid particles such as dust, mist, smoke and fume which are commonly generated in a wide range of manufacturing processes.

“Our companies sell industrial air filters into more than 60 countries worldwide and have long advocated for businesses to prioritise the health of their workforce. As well as fulfilling their duty of care to employees, companies can also reap tangible benefits to the bottom line from ensuring the air in their production facilities is clean and safe to breathe. Improved product quality, reduced downtime and improved recruitment and staff retention can also be achieved with better air quality.”

WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge said Clean air should be a fundamental human right and a necessary condition for healthy and productive societies – a statement Absolent Air Care Group wholeheartedly agrees with “We find it outrageous that millions of people worldwide work in environments where the air is heavily contaminated. They deserve better and so do their employers, our customers,” said Axel. “We are on a mission to help businesses everywhere clean the air with our knowledge and solutions.”

Read the full WHO press release here: https://www.who.int/news/item/22-09-2021-new-who-global-air-quality-guidelines-aim-to-save-millions-of-lives-from-air-pollution

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