Do you think you are safe because you do not smoke and you care about a healthy lifestyle? Nothing could be more wrong, in Poland breathing itself is deadly, especially in autumn and winter.
Each year, 45 Poles die from air pollution. If you are wondering if this is a lot, imagine that every year a medium-sized city like Dębica or Otwock disappears.
Dirty air is a problem for most developed countries, but Poland has a special problem with it. How serious it is is shown in the report by the World Health Organization (WHO) of the most polluted countries in the European Union. Our country took the infamous second place in it, only overtaken by Bulgaria. According to WHO, as much as 36 out of 50 cities with the worst air conditions are located in Poland. We have nothing to be proud of.
We mainly complain about bad air in autumn and winter. Then simply going for a walk may end up with a scratchy throat, coughing or headache. Unfortunately, the health consequences can be much worse. Smog has been shown to contribute to the occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma. It also significantly increases the incidence of respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia, to which the elderly and children are particularly at risk. But that’s not all – air pollution is driving lung cancer incidence, which is now not only the most common but also the most deadly cancer in the world. Importantly, it also threatens people who have never smoked cigarettes.
From the research of the team of prof. Francine Laden from Harvard University shows that people living in highly polluted areas who have never smoked tobacco are up 20 percent. more likely to die from lung cancer.
The impact of smog on our health is not limited to the respiratory system only. Small particles of pollution easily pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and are transported by it to various organs. Consequences? Stroke, heart attack, problems with memory and concentration, infertility, premature birth.
Also read: There is nothing to breathe in Poland
What makes smog so dangerous for us? A deadly mixture that damages e.g. lungs or heart, contains suspended dust (PM 10, PM 2,5 – the lower the value, the smaller the particles and the greater the harmfulness), sulfur dioxide SO, nitrogen oxides (NOx), heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, manganese, chromium) , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – including benzo [a] pyrene, and dioxins.
They are all dangerous but one of the most poisonous components of smog is benzo [a] pyrene. the main culprit in the increase in lung cancer incidence. It shows high chronic toxicity because it can accumulate in the body. It is disturbing that Poland exceeds the emission of benzo [a] pyrene allowed by the WHO by as much as 40 times.
The fact that smog is deadly is getting louder and louder. However, we often miss the fact that we ourselves are to blame for its formation.
Smog in Poland is largely the effect of the so-called “Low emission”, i.e. fumes from solid fuel boilers and stoves in households. Poor quality of coal and burning rubbish and waste (including plastics, varnished wood, furniture boards) additionally increase the amount of toxic substances that enter the air and poison us. Owners of fireplaces and “soot” stoves forget that their health is at risk in the first place.
Road transport, which we all have an impact on, is also important for air quality. They account for a significant proportion of total particulate matter emissions diesel vehicles. It is also worth remembering that the older the car, the richer its exhaust gases are in suspended dust, heavy metals and nitrogen oxide. Let’s not forget about the so-called non-exhaust pollutants that arise from the wear of brake pads, discs, tires and dust caused by vehicle traffic. The problem is especially big in cities where starting and braking are more frequent.
So if we want to live a long and healthy life, not only do we need to know the dangers of polluted air, but also change our habits and way of thinking.
The text was created as part of the campaign “Take a breath with relief – fight with lung diseases” prepared by Warsaw Press, which was published in “Gazeta Wyborcza”.