The Air Pollution at Dhaka, how can improve it?
BANGLADESH is one of the world’s most heavily populated countries and has long suffered from air pollution. In global rankings, Dhaka, the capital of the country, also finds its place among the most polluted cities.
Air pollution has reached an unacceptable level in Dhaka. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been ranked the worst city. The Dhaka scores demonstrate how risky it is to live in Dhaka. Dhaka is always at risk of pollution as one of the most densely populated cities globally, where smoke from brick kilns, motor smoke and traffic and dust produced from construction are mainly responsible for air pollution.
This pollution is responsible for several diseases, such as asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, and the quality of life is also significantly reduced.
Main Cause of Air pollution in Dhaka:
DHAKA is notorious for the air pollution it creates. For people living in Dhaka City, toxic air is now one of the biggest environmental challenges since it is known that this city has been ranked as the most air-polluted city in the world.
As a densely populated city, Dhaka faces pollution problems from all sides. It may be the air-contaminating consequences of the extensive use of vehicles, many of which are not subject to strict legislation regarding the age or quality of their engines or the fuels on which they operate.
For this reason, most of these cars, often working on fossil fuels such as gasoline, ride the roads emitting even more emissions than a conventional car would, releasing higher levels of pollutants into the environment than its cleaner equivalents. Besides, pesticides, chemicals, and fertilizers in agriculture have increased a lot.
They emit into the air harmful chemicals and cause water contamination. Factory and industrial emissions release carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds and chemicals, resulting in reductions in air quality.
The environment is contaminated by hydrocarbons and different chemicals released from petroleum refineries. One of the major sources of air pollution is sulfur dioxide (SO₂) produced from burning fossil fuels, such as combustible materials in coal, oil, and other factories.
In Dhaka, how bad is the air pollution?
The city has recently been ranked among the worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI). Air Quality and Pollution Measurement refer that Index Value (0-50) is good and gives a Green color sign.
In addition, it indicates that if air quality is in this range, no health impacts are expected. Index Value (51-100) is Moderate, and it gives Yellow color. In addition, it indicates that unusually sensitive people should consider restricting excessive outdoor exertion.
Index Value (101-150) is unhealthy for sensitive groups and gives Orange Color sign. Moreover, it indicates that Active adults and children, and people with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, can restrict excessive outdoor exertion.
Index Value (151-200) is Unhealthy, and it gives Red color sign. And it indicates that some members of the general population may experience health effects; more severe health effects may occur among members of vulnerable groups.
Index Value (201-300) is very unhealthy, and it gives Purple Color sign, and it indicates that Health Alert: For all, the chance of health effects is increased.
Index Value (301 and higher) is Hazardous, and it gives a Purple color sign. And it indicates that Health Emergency conditions warning: all are more likely to be influenced.
The air of Dhaka is getting worst day by day. Dhaka arrived with a PM2.5 reading of 83.3 μg/m3 as the annual average in 2019, placing it in the ‘unhealthy’ air quality bracket, which needs a PM2.5 reading to be rated as unhealthy between 55.5 and 150.4 μg/m3.
In addition to being a ranking, this rating is symbolic that the air quality is generally harmful to breathe, with estimates rising well above the annual average, such as a record high of 181.8 μg/m3 in January, placing it in the ‘extremely unhealthy’ bracket (150.5 to 250.4 μg/m3).
Its annual average reading of 83.3 μg/m3 was sufficient to bring Dhaka in 1st place out of all cities in Bangladesh and the 21st most polluted city in 2019 worldwide, making Dhaka’s level of air pollution very extreme and of great detriment towards its resident.
It may note that Dhaka is the only city registered for pollution levels in Bangladesh, so this very next ranking was unavoidable.
Ways to prevent air pollution of Dhaka city:
When not in use, turn the lights off:
The energy consumed by lights also adds to air pollution, saving less electricity, using fluorescent lamps that conserve electricity to support the atmosphere, and switching off lights and fans or other electrical equipment when not in use. The energy you use is generated by burning coal or diesel, so the less electricity you use, the less air pollution there is.
Eco-friendly Transportation:
A definite small way to contribute to less air pollution is to use public transport because it provides less gas and electricity, and even carpels contribute to it. The use of public transport, in addition to low fuel and gas emissions, will help to earn cash. Besides, cycling is the best way to reduce air pollution.
Recycle and Reuse:
Always use goods that are recyclable if you can afford them. The idea of recycling and reuse is beneficial to the conservation and judicious use of resources and air pollution since it helps reduce emissions. To make other products recyclable products also require fewer resources.
Unconventional Energy Use:
It’s renewable energy we can use. Hydropower, wind energy, or solar energy are used to generate electricity. Instead of standard energy, try using solar power. In the end, solar energy will save you a lot of money. So we need to use pollution-free solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, etc., instead.
No to plastic bags:
Because of the additives made with oil, plastic products take too long to decompose, which can be very harmful to the environment. It is safer to use paper bags instead since they decompose quickly and are recyclable.
Forest Fires and Smoking Reduction:
Garbage collection and fires cause air pollution in the dry season or on dry leaves, and smoking often causes air pollution and affects the health of air quality and worsens the quality of air. So, avoid smoking and urge individuals to quit smoking.
Use of fans instead of Air Conditioner:
It takes a lot of energy to use AC and emits a lot of bad heat for the climate. Compared to fans, ACs often require much power and energy to function.
Using Chimney Filters:
In homes and factories, gas generated from fireplaces is highly harmful to air pollution and causes significant harm to air quality. The installation of air purifiers at air pollution sources decreases the amount of air pollution—Chimney exhaust gases in factories, thermal power plants, and so on.
Avoid using products with chemicals:
Products that use or strongly smell the chemicals in their use, such as paints or perfumes, should be used less or outside the home. The use of products with low chemical content and organic properties may also be an option.
Planting trees:
Trees help balance oxygen and carbon dioxide, so it helps balance various gases in the atmosphere by planting trees in large amounts. You may plant a variety of orchids or flowering plants on the roof of the pool if there is a lack of space. The amount of oxygen in the air, plants alleviate pollution from the air and clean the atmosphere.
Public Awareness:
Raising public awareness about the sources and causes of air pollution can be avoided. Air pollution should be included in the children’s curriculum, and understanding of air pollution should be disseminated and transmitted to human society through social media, radio, magazines, and newspapers to raise awareness of air pollution and its negative aspects.
Some other necessary preventive steps against air pollution are:
- Constitution works should be remain stopped during the dry season. But if done, then the workers should have to follow the laws and regulations of the construction work without polluting the environment and should follow and mplement the proper management of dust and other waste particles.
- During the dry seasons, roads and walkways should be cleaned area-wise at least once a week instead of the sprinkle of water by the water truck.
- It should clean the bricks and sand particles away from the roads and construction areas and, an auto-brick should be implemented.
- The environmental act of 1995 and the Environment Conservation Rules 1997 of Bangladesh should be implemented fully.
Air pollution is now one of the main issues of our county, Bangladesh. Bangladesh is seeing a major increase in deaths due to air pollution. The air pollution situation worsens every day, which is a great matter of sorrow. So, we should take all the necessary steps to make our living a sustainable one and a better tomorrow.
