Air Pollution in India, Causes, Effects, Sources, Challenges

A recent study titled ‘Respirer Reports Analysis of Air Quality in October for the past five years’ by Respirer Living Sciences reveals significant air pollution trends in India’s major state capitals.

Air Pollution

Air pollution happens when harmful substances are released into the air, making it bad for the environment and people’s health. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that about seven million people die each year because of air pollution. Right now, nine out of ten people are breathing air that is more polluted than what is safe according to the WHO. There are many kinds of air pollution, including gases like ammonia, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and methane, as well as tiny particles and biological materials.

• Primary pollutants are the ones that come directly from sources,
• while secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants mix together.

If you are studying for the UPSC Civil Service Exam, this article will help you understand air pollution better.

Current Situation of Air Pollution in India

• India has very high air pollution, which harms health and the economy.
• All 1.4 billion people in India breathe unhealthy levels of PM 2.5, a harmful air pollutant.
• PM 2.5 can cause serious health issues like lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
• In 2019, air pollution caused 1.67 million deaths in India and cost the economy nearly $36.8 billion.
• PM 2.5 comes from burning fossil fuels, wood, and other materials, as well as dust from natural sources and construction.
• Over half of PM 2.5 forms when gas pollutants from agriculture, factories, power plants, homes, and vehicles mix in the air.
• To manage air pollution, India needs a regional approach, using standardized tools to link control strategies and gather data.

   

Findings of the Respirer Reports Analysis of Air Quality

• Increasing Pollution in Delhi: Over the last two years, Delhi has experienced a sharp rise in PM 2.5 pollution. In October 2021, the PM 2.5 concentration was measured at 74.0 μg/m3, which escalated by approximately 54% to 113.9 μg/m3 by October 2023. This level is alarmingly above the safety thresholds set by both the Central Pollution Control Board and the World Health Organization.
• Mumbai’s Deteriorating Air Quality: Mumbai has seen its PM 2.5 levels more than double from 27.7 μg/m3 in October 2019 to 58.3 μg/m3 four years later, marking a 110% increase.
• Rising Pollution in Hyderabad and Kolkata: After a brief improvement in 2022, Hyderabad’s air quality worsened with an 18.6% increase in PM 2.5 levels in October 2023.
  • Kolkata also recorded a 40.2% hike in PM 2.5 levels compared to the previous year’s data for the same month.
• Reduction in PM 2.5 Levels in Other Capitals: In contrast, Lucknow, Patna, Bengaluru, and Chennai showed a decrease in PM 2.5 levels in October 2023, with Chennai registering a notable reduction of over 23%.

Check here: Pollution in Delhi

Air Pollution Causes

1. Fossil Fuels

Sulfur dioxide is one of the main causes of air pollution. It comes from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil in power plants and other industries. The gasoline and diesel used in millions of cars and trucks also contribute to this pollution, as petroleum doesn’t burn cleanly in engines. High pollution levels are caused by harmful substances released from vehicles like trucks, cars, trains, and airplanes. These pollutants include tiny particles (PM), nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide (together called NOx), as well as carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and lead. Carbon monoxide comes from cars and is created when fuel doesn’t burn completely.

2. Agricultural Activities

Ammonia, a byproduct of farming, is one of the most harmful substances in the air. Today, fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides are widely used in agriculture, which can pollute water and release harmful chemicals into the air. Farmers also burn fields and old crops to prepare for new planting, and this burning adds dangerous pollutants to the air.

3. Waste on Landfills

The places where trash is buried or put are called landfills. These dumped or buried wastes generate methane. An important greenhouse gas that is highly flammable and hazardous is methane. Another severe problem is e-waste, which entails a number of unethical activities such as chemical leaks and burning wires.

4. Industrial Dust and Waste

Manufacturing industries release a lot of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and other harmful chemicals into the air, which lowers air quality. Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons and other pollutants, damaging both the air and the land.

5. Mining Operation

Mining is the use of large machinery to remove minerals from below the surface of the earth. During the process, chemicals and dust are released into the air, causing serious air pollution. This is one of the elements causing the local population’s and workers’ declining health.

• Indoor Pollution: Hazardous chemicals are released into the air by household cleaning goods and painting supplies, damaging the environment.
• Natural Factors: The air is contaminated by some naturally occurring events, such as volcanoes, forest fires, and dust storms.

Air Pollutants Sources

1. Carbon Monoxide

It is a colourless, odourless gas that is produced when carbon-based fuels like gasoline, diesel, and wood, as well as organic and synthetic materials like cigarettes, burn incompletely. Our bloodstream holds less oxygen as a result. It can slow our responses and make us fatigued, which can make us confused.

2. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

It is the main greenhouse gas produced by human activities such the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Natural sources of CO2 include volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers. CO2 is released from carbonate rocks by dissolving in water and acids. A suffocating gas is CO2 (asphyxia: a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death.). Concentrations of 7% can cause hypoxia, which presents as headache, dizziness, and unconsciousness even when there is enough oxygen present.

3. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)

These are gases that are mostly released by refrigeration and air conditioning units. CFCs rise to the stratosphere after being released into the atmosphere, where they combine with a few other gases and weaken the ozone layer, which shields the earth from the sun’s dangerous UV rays.

4. Lead

Among other things, lead can be found in paints, hair dyes, lead batteries, gasoline, diesel, and other products. Lead poisoning can be particularly dangerous for children. It may cause issues with the digestive system, the nervous system, or even cancer in some cases.

Types of Air Pollutants

Particulate Matter (PM)

• PM10: Particles with diameters that are 10 micrometers and smaller.
• 5: Fine particles with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers and smaller.

These particles can be made up of various components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulphates), organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust particles, and allergens (such as fragments of pollen or mould spores).

Gaseous Pollutants

• Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colourless, odourless gas produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels.
• Sulphur Dioxide (SO2): A gas produced by volcanic eruptions and industrial processes, particularly the burning of coal and oil at power plants and the refining of oil.
• Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): Gases that include nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO), produced from vehicle emissions, power plants, and off-road equipment.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Organic chemicals that have a high vapour pressure at ordinary room temperature, such as benzene, toluene, and formaldehyde. They are emitted from certain solids or liquids, like paints and lacquers, cleaning supplies, and gasoline.
• Ammonia (NH3): A gas emitted from agricultural processes, particularly from livestock waste and fertilisers.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

These are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation and include chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and pesticides.

Heavy Metals

• Lead (Pb): Once widely used in gasoline and paint, still found in some industrial emissions.
• Mercury (Hg): Emitted from coal combustion and some industrial processes.
• Cadmium (Cd) and Arsenic (As): Other toxic metals that can be found in industrial emissions.

Ground-level Ozone (O3)

A secondary pollutant is formed when VOCs and NOx react in the presence of sunlight. Not to be confused with the protective ozone layer in the upper atmosphere.

Secondary Pollutants

• These are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact.
• Ground-level ozone and particulate matter formed from NOx and SO2 are examples of secondary pollutants.

Greenhouse Gases

Although not always considered “pollutants” in the traditional sense because they don’t directly impact human health, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) are crucial to the discussion of air pollution due to their impact on climate change.

Radioactive Pollutants

Radon (Rn) and its decay products, and airborne particles from nuclear accidents or detonations.

Bioaerosols

Biological particles, or bioaerosols, such as bacteria, viruses, fungal spores, or fragments of plant material, can also be considered air pollutants, particularly indoors or in specific workplace settings.

Check Here: Pollution and its Types

Air Pollution Effects

1. Health Issues

Air pollution has a serious impact on human health. It is linked to many health problems, like cancer, heart attacks, strokes, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Millions of deaths are caused by air pollution, either directly or indirectly. Pregnant women exposed to high levels of air pollution are at risk for premature birth, autism, asthma, and other early development issues. It can also harm a child’s brain development and cause pneumonia, which kills about a million children under five each year. In polluted areas, children are more likely to get short-term respiratory infections and lung diseases.

2. Global Warming

The changes happening to our planet are mainly due to global warming. Climate change, loss of habitats, animals moving to new places, and rising sea levels from melting ice are all signs that we might face a big crisis if we don’t act quickly to protect the environment.

3. Acid Rain

When fossil fuels are burned, harmful substances like sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. When it rains, these pollutants mix with the raindrops to form acid, which falls to the ground as acid rain. Acid rain can harm people, animals, and crops.

4. Eutrophication

Eutrophication happens when a lot of nitrogen from pollution builds up in the water, leading to too much algae growth. This can harm fish, plants, and other living things. The release of nitrogen from factories also causes green algae to grow in lakes and ponds.

5. Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone in the Earth’s stratosphere protects us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. However, substances like hydro chlorofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons are hurting the ozone layer. When the ozone layer gets thinner, more harmful rays reach the Earth, which can cause skin and eye problems. UV rays can also damage crops.

Air Pollution Prevention

The government plans to update air quality standards and has improved rules for vehicle and industrial emissions. They are also focusing on renewable energy, promoting electric vehicles, and providing LPG cooking fuel to many households.

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) aims to improve air quality nationwide, especially in 132 cities where pollution is high. The NCAP helps cities create air quality management plans and gives guidance on various policies.

In 2020, India set aside about $1.7 billion to help 42 major cities reduce air pollution by 15% each year. This is the world’s first funding program based on performance for air quality.

To coordinate efforts across regions, India’s Parliament approved a law in August 2021 to create the Commission of Air Quality Management for the National Capital Region and nearby areas.

1. Usage of Public Transport and Carpooling

We can reduce air pollution and the number of harmful substances in the air by using less fuel for transportation. These choices also make financial sense and can help save money.

2. Putting the Lights offs when off no use

Most of our electricity is generated through the burning of fossil fuels, which significantly contribute to air pollution. Consequently, using less electricity to prevent air pollution is a good idea.

3. Reusing and Recycling Products

Reusing old products saves energy that would be used to make new ones. Recycling items also saves energy compared to making new products from scratch.

4. Avoiding Smoking and Garbage Burning

Burning trash causes a lot of air pollution, and smoking cigarettes adds to the problem too. We can help prevent air pollution by avoiding these activities and understanding how they harm the environment.

5. Limiting the Usage of Fireworks

People often use firecrackers to celebrate special events, but they can really harm the environment and cause a lot of air pollution. To help reduce air pollution, it’s a good idea to avoid using firecrackers and to spread the word about their negative effects.

Delhi Air Pollution

India is one of the most polluted nations in the world, and Delhi is likely one of the most polluted capital cities. According to a variety of criteria, Indian cities are mostly included among the top 50 most polluted cities in the world. The introduction of substances into the atmosphere that harm other living things, cause human discomfort, disease, or death, or degrade the natural and built environments is known as air pollution.

Causes of Air Pollution in Delhi

Increasing population and associated development at the expense of causing environmental harm The region’s growth has mostly been unplanned, and industrial facilities that release dangerous chemicals into the air are frequently found near neighborhoods and commercial districts rather than in specially designated regions.

Increased traffic in vehicles (which has not decreased despite the construction of the Delhi metro) and the resulting increase in air and noise pollution. According to the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Delhi produces close to 8,000 million tonnes of solid waste every day, but only 5000–5500 million tons of waste is actually removed by the government each day. It only makes the garbage pile up more. The waste from industries, both hazardous and non-hazardous, is not included in this.

Fossil fuels are heavily relied upon, and using them releases a lot of toxic gases into the atmosphere. Increased dust pollution from large-scale construction projects contributes to about 56% of the PM10 and PM2.5 load.

Delhi has higher air pollution than other cities due to its landlocked location. Dust is carried into the area by north-westerly winds that originate in Rajasthan, Pakistan, and occasionally Afghanistan. The air cannot escape because of the Himalayas. As a result, the area becomes polluted and dusty. Due to low-level inversion, this is especially obvious in the winter (upward movement of air from the layers below is stopped).

Delhi is more polluted than Chennai, a coastal city, due to its landlocked topography (where despite high automobile population, has the sea breeze which provides an effective entry and exit for dispersing pollutants).

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