Air Pollution In Bangkok Has Reached Critical Level

[BigBikeBKK]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

Have you actually been to Bangkok powderpuff?

The air is horrendous - buses churning out black smoke, vendors cooking on charcoal and 2-stroke motorbikes are a big part of the problem.

This isn't a bunch of greeny do gooders with dubious research - this is something every Bangkok dweller has to deal with and the health implications are very real.

Am I the only one here who thinks that on average, the air quality has IMPROVED in Bangkok over the last decade?

Since the building of the skytrains and subways, the ban on new 2-stroke motorcycles, and the introduction and growing number of NGV and LPG powered trucks, buses and cars I find that while still very polutted, Bangkok's air isn't nearly as bad as it was 10 years ago...

[somtampet]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

Have you actually been to Bangkok powderpuff?

The air is horrendous - buses churning out black smoke, vendors cooking on charcoal and 2-stroke motorbikes are a big part of the problem.

This isn't a bunch of greeny do gooders with dubious research - this is something every Bangkok dweller has to deal with and the health implications are very real.

God help Bangkok 10 years ago then.

Am I the only one here who thinks that on average, the air quality has IMPROVED in Bangkok over the last decade?

Since the building of the skytrains and subways, the ban on new 2-stroke motorcycles, and the introduction and growing number of NGV and LPG powered trucks, buses and cars I find that while still very polutted, Bangkok's air isn't nearly as bad as it was 10 years ago...

[Maestro]

From Wikipedia:

Health effects

The large number of deaths and other health problems associated with particulate pollution was first demonstrated in the early 1970s

^[5]

and has been reproduced many times since. PM pollution is estimated to cause 22,000-52,000 deaths per year in the United States (from 2000)

^[6]

and 200,000 deaths per year in Europe.

The effects of inhaling particulate matter that have been widely studied in humans and animals now include asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular issues, and premature death. The size of the particle is a main determinant of where in the respiratory tract the particle will come to rest when inhaled. Because of their small size, particles on the order of ~10 micrometers or less can penetrate the deepest part of the lungs

^[7]

5. Lave, Lester B.; Eugene P. Seskin (1973). "An Analysis of the Association Between U.S. Mortality and Air Pollution". J. Amer. Statistical Association 68: 342.

6. Mokdad, Ali H.; et al. (2004). "Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000". J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 291 (10): 1238–45.

doi:10.1001/jama.291.10.1238

.

PMID 15010446

.

7. Region 4: Laboratory and Field Operations — PM 2.5 (2008).PM 2.5 Objectives and History. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate

[Maestro]

I guess death certificates in Thailand don't show "air pollution" or, more scientifically, "particulate matter pollution" as the cause of death.

[BigBikeBKK]

The farangs wont accept that the place is a total shithole,as i have been saying for years.These are the people who knock Pattaya,a paradise compared to that dreary polluted sess pit.Every time i go to Bangkok my eyes are streaming within 20 mins and i get headache,so carry on hi-so Bangkok farangs,carry on telling lies and pretend u havent got a massive problem.

I would even suggest that Bangkok has got to be the number 1 sess pit in the world,a disgusting pathetic excuse of a city.

Funny, that's exactly how I feel about Pattaya... :jap:

[jsflynn603]

Living off Soi 4, Nana for going on 2 years. It's near the freeway and I addressed at least the dust pollution by the following:

1) Sealed all doors with weather stripping and keep them closed as much as possible.

2) Converted an evaporative cooler to be a crude air filter and placed in balcony window, intake side on balcony.

Runs, filters 24/7 unless too hot outside. If too hot outside, switch to A/C mode (4, below)

3) Crude air filter is used to keep a positive, clean-air pressure on room as well as bring cooler air from outside.

4) In A/C mode, although not used much this winter, ALL external openings are closed, installed augmenting filters

on A/C room unit evaporator.

Did it help the dust levels? A little, but I feel the approach is sound: Allow only cleaned air into the room so that when

doors/windows are temporarily opened, the room's positive pressure prevents unclean air from entering.

Nice idea. A suggestion for you would be to look for large area pleated HEPA air filters to place after the air has gone through your "crude" air filter. In America such filters are available such that they fit within about a 2x2 foot box that is about six inches thick. But since the filter media is pleated like an accordion the actual surface area is over 160 square feet.

For the best effect use a glass filter media (= ordinary furnace media) as the first (outside filter). This is generally fiberglass, and picks up the dust that makes the bottom of your feet black. This dust is esthetically offensive but most of it is greater than 10 microns and such dust in readily "cleared" from the lungs since rapid moving cilia (imagine squid tentacles rapidly moving but always moving things in one direction) in the lungs and the production of over a liter of mucus a day move this sort of dust out of the lungs rather rapidly. (Note: tobacco smoking anesthetizes the cilia and hinders particle clearing, probably a major reason for increased lung cancer in smokers).

A cloth (=organic fibers) that would resemble a surgeon's mask should be the next line of defense. This filter also will not collect particles less than 10 micons, but it is more likely to collect the 10-100 micron sized particles that are not particularly dangerous but would rapidly clog a HEPA filter. Being organic it serves another important purpose: Ozone molecules that touch organic material instantly react with said media destroying the ozone. Reducing ozone in the home environment is a very good thing.

The use of a HEPA "after filter" of large surface area then will stop 99.9% of the remaining particles in the 0.5micron to the ~10 micron range. These are the most dangerous because their size allows very deep penetration into the alveoli of the lungs and the cilia have difficulty removing them. So this is the particle range that is most important to remove. Take for instance an asbestos fiber that is 90microns, and another that is 2 microns in length, produced, for instance from an older brake pad. The 90 micron fiber is likely to be washed out of the lung and moved out of the body via feces. The 2 microm fiber is far more likely to get "stuck" deep within the alveoli increasing the risk of lung cancer.

I am surprised that such "window" units do not exist in Thailand and I would think that there would be a demand for them (though not a huge one) especially if, as in your case, you are creating a "positive air pressure," within the living space.

In Chiang Mai I have never seen what appears to be a HEPA filter on someone, they do exist, and always have a deformable nose piece (one way of telling that it's probably a respirator and not a mere dust mask). I see police, and people shopping with "dust masks" and "surgeon's masks," but I doubt that many understand their function. These masks are virtually useless at filtering the important dust (i.e. dust smaller than 100 microns) and their function is to reduce "droplet production" which can transfer virus or bacteria and infect others within a 2-3meter distance.

Though these masks may get impressively "blackened" by large particle pollution, they virtually do nothing for the dangerous <10 micron sized particles. Is there a source for "N95" masks in Thailand? 3M makes one type, and there are a few others. These masks remove 95% of particles whose size are less than 0.5 micron. This is what one should be wearing when there is a reported increase in air pollution in the 10micron particle size.

Note for the curious: Most believe that HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. Actually that is close, it stands for High Efficiency Particulate Absolute air filter.

Edited February 2, 2011 by jsflynn603

[JSixpack]

2) Converted an evaporative cooler to be a crude air filter and placed in balcony window, intake side on balcony.

Runs, filters 24/7 unless too hot outside. If too hot outside, switch to A/C mode (4, below)

Interesting. Where did you get that cooler and what does it look like?

[JSixpack]

. . . large area pleated HEPA air filters to place after the air has gone through your "crude" air filter. In America such filters are available . . . . .

Available where in 'Mercuh, exactly?

Edited February 2, 2011 by JSixpack

[powderpuff]

Have you actually been to Bangkok powderpuff?

The air is horrendous - buses churning out black smoke, vendors cooking on charcoal and 2-stroke motorbikes are a big part of the problem.

This isn't a bunch of greeny do gooders with dubious research - this is something every Bangkok dweller has to deal with and the health implications are very real.

Well Duh, yeah i been here since 1991. The air here on Onnut is fine

But that doesn't dovetail with the enviro- nutjob agenda.

Politicians should meet once a year to pass laws & then f%*k off for the other 364 days & let people live their lives. You Euro socialists need big brother to take care of you. Go back home.

[bbradsby]

Great post, JSFLYNN, thanks.

For us generalists in the [dusty] room, what is the source (ASHRAE, etc.) of the info re: fabric neutralizing ozone? Is this common industry practice for high tech clean room facilities or hospitals? Would love to see a design - if you could refer a website or forward a diagram if one is handy, I'd greatly appreciate it!

[powderpuff]

From Wikipedia:

Health effects

The large number of deaths and other health problems associated with particulate pollution was first demonstrated in the early 1970s

^[5]

and has been reproduced many times since. PM pollution is estimated to cause 22,000-52,000 deaths per year in the United States (from 2000)

^[6]

and 200,000 deaths per year in Europe.

The effects of inhaling particulate matter that have been widely studied in humans and animals now include asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular issues, and premature death. The size of the particle is a main determinant of where in the respiratory tract the particle will come to rest when inhaled. Because of their small size, particles on the order of ~10 micrometers or less can penetrate the deepest part of the lungs

^[7]

5. Lave, Lester B.; Eugene P. Seskin (1973). "An Analysis of the Association Between U.S. Mortality and Air Pollution". J. Amer. Statistical Association 68: 342.

6. Mokdad, Ali H.; et al. (2004). "Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000". J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 291 (10): 1238–45.

doi:10.1001/jama.291.10.1238

.

PMID 15010446

.

7. Region 4: Laboratory and Field Operations — PM 2.5 (2008).PM 2.5 Objectives and History. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate

So from these statistics we can see that Europe is about 10 times dirtier than the U.S.A. That's funny right there. Thanks for the laugh. They got their numbers from the UN Climate council. Wholly made up.

[jimbeam1]

What about they introduce a annually MOT test, same as many other country's. This would include a strict Emissions test, also the rest of the MOT would see at least 50% of vehicles tested off of the roads. But once again the BIB would have to do their job properly? Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to make more money.

jb1

[TechnikaIII]

So, please stop moaning about smokers. It's official. It's the drivers buggering up the air.

Get on yer feet, you murderers.

Being in the Bangkok polution, loaded with carcinogens, then get a face full of smokers filth, when the body is craving clean air, is really as horrid as it gets. Typically, smokers, living in denial about the effects of their dirty stinking habbit, will jump at any opportunity to point the finger elsewhere, in stead of acknowledging their own weakness.

[TimC]

2) Converted an evaporative cooler to be a crude air filter and placed in balcony window, intake side on balcony.

Runs, filters 24/7 unless too hot outside. If too hot outside, switch to A/C mode (4, below)

Interesting. Where did you get that cooler and what does it look like?

Purchased originally from craigslist for 2500 THB (was told store price was > 5000 THB - a major store, but don't remember which) under the delusion I'd use

it to cool the room and cut elec. costs, but the increased room humidity quashed that.

It's a PerfectBrandz Electronic Cooling Fan (PBC-333) a gray plastic squarish 55 Watt unit about 62cm H X 31cm D X 27cm W with triple squirrel-cage fan.

Removed its castors and set it on a cabinet abutting window. Sealed window with poly except for an opening for the unit's rear intake.

The rear of unit has a removable intake coarse mesh pre-filter panel/plate.

Placed standard 3M A/C filter material , available at HomePro and Tesco and another of a layer of cheaper, A/C coarse mesh filter material

between mesh access panel/plate and an internal support grill. Glued foam material strips around the inside of the removable grill/panel

as a seal. One would swear that it was designed with this filter upgrade in mind.

I don't recommend using this or any particular unit - it was an experiment.

Another poster wrote well and extensively about HEPA filter issues and the absence of window units.

My research has been cursory, but haven't seen air cleaners that would lend themselves to being window units because of the nature/placement

of their intakes - apparently designed for internal room use. I fear my filter material is not stopping the smaller (and apparently deadlier) particles.

The two filter materials are washed daily in a sink and the degree discoloration of the water is rough indicator of filter effectiveness/pollution levels.

Noticed much less coloration/pollution during the New Year long weekend.

Incidentally, a room exhaust (and a clean filter) is necessary for efficient fan operation so I leave the bathroom door open and the screened bathroom window open.

During A/C mode that window is sealed with poly because the A/C compressor

exhausts through it and into the bathroom ... but that's another story.

Edited February 2, 2011 by TimC

[OzMick]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

Actually the meat industry is a major cause for more than pollution, but mostly directly polluting the body with pharmaceuticals, the ground water and the depletion of the ozone layer. It's a poor return on investment considering the energy put in compared to what you get out. The cooking of meat is very toxic. I find these street vendors that constantly pump chemical laden smoke into the air worse and far more prevalent than second hand cigarette smoke, plus it stinks. Until there is a vehicle inspection system, I can't see much change, nor do I see the Thai government invoking any "hardships" like regulation upon the Thai people. Not sure I saw mentioned above the accepted practice of burning trash, nor the evaporation of petrol chemicals from any of the shops that sprawl onto the sidewalks that deal with working on motors. Sabai sabai does have it's consequences, everybody can acceptably do as they please, especially if it means making money.

" The cooking of meat is very toxic." Are you suggesting that the people of BKK eat raw meat? Or using a pollution thread to push a vegetarian barrow? And, just guessing, a smoker as well?

Remember, you are what you eat, and vegetarians are mostly fruits and nuts.

[kuffki]

Have these people EVER looked at what causes a lot of the pollution? Cars that sit for 20 minutes do to the stupidity of the people changing the lights are a great contributor....

Only 20? you been very lucky. Sometimes its an hour to go 100 meters.

I do not have a link but few years ago, there were 2 German tourists who came to BKK for a holiday.

Funny enough both worked for traffic agency in Germany.

Both saw how bad the traffic was, and on their own time and money decided to do a research on what can be done.

They found that BKK works like a can of sardines. In the morning its green lights all the way to get into BKK but once inside BKK its mainly red and not regulated.

After some study of the situation, they came up with a plan which was to regulate the lights in and around BKK and that alone would reduce traffic jams by 30%-40%.

they approached Thai government and presented their findings and solution and offered FREE of charge to implement it to help.

Take a while guess what the response was from the government?!- Yep you got it, it was a big, fat NO.

Just watching those special people operate the lights hurts my brain. Why on earth would the make one side green for 10 mins for other side green only for 2 mins?

Then of course you also have the "nice" drivers, who simply stop or park their car because they either want to go buy a drink from 7/11 or simply waiting for someone or whatever the stupid excuse they have, as a result traffic builds up and before you know you stuck for hours-letting the good gases out.

The saddest part about this whole thing is, that now its been said, printed in the media and absolutely nothing will be done about it, not even simple lights timing.

[kuffki]

Have you actually been to Bangkok powderpuff?

The air is horrendous - buses churning out black smoke, vendors cooking on charcoal and 2-stroke motorbikes are a big part of the problem.

This isn't a bunch of greeny do gooders with dubious research - this is something every Bangkok dweller has to deal with and the health implications are very real.

Well Duh, yeah i been here since 1991. The air here on Onnut is fine

But that doesn't dovetail with the enviro- nutjob agenda.

Politicians should meet once a year to pass laws & then f%*k off for the other 364 days & let people live their lives. You Euro socialists need big brother to take care of you. Go back home.

if you think air in Onnut is fine, i think you have been there for too long and need to get outside of BKK just to see what REAL air looks like.

Take a drive to even Pattaya and back. you will see the change in air color as you coming back to BKK.

[bangon04]

Living off Soi 4, Nana for going on 2 years. It's near the freeway and I addressed at least the dust pollution by the following:

1) Sealed all doors with weather stripping and keep them closed as much as possible.

2) Converted an evaporative cooler to be a crude air filter and placed in balcony window, intake side on balcony.

Runs, filters 24/7 unless too hot outside. If too hot outside, switch to A/C mode (4, below)

3) Crude air filter is used to keep a positive, clean-air pressure on room as well as bring cooler air from outside.

4) In A/C mode, although not used much this winter, ALL external openings are closed, installed augmenting filters

on A/C room unit evaporator.

Did it help the dust levels? A little, but I feel the approach is sound: Allow only cleaned air into the room so that when

doors/windows are temporarily opened, the room's positive pressure prevents unclean air from entering.

Even better, why not construct for yourself a plastic bubble suit with a filter mask incorporated, so that you can walk around Soi 4 without having to breathe the foul air. Hopefully it will catch on and the Thais will see a market opportunity for copying you.

[bangon04]

"Excessive noise pollution was also reported in the bustling capital city"

Eh? What did he say?

[TimC]

Nice idea. A suggestion for you would be to look for large area pleated HEPA air filters to place after the air has gone through your "crude" air filter. In America such filters are available such that they fit within about a 2x2 foot box that is about six inches thick. But since the filter media is pleated like an accordion the actual surface area is over 160 square feet.

Thanks so much for the HEPA upgrade advice and the detailed info on HEPA filter issues which I'm sure we all appreciate.

I may try it because my unit is squarish and it would appear to be easy to post-filter.

One issue with additional (serious) filtering would be the increased back pressure on the fans. I'm noticing that even now

when I completely seal the room or the filter material is dirty the squirrel-cage fans indicate by an oscillating sound that they are laboring, reducing

smooth, efficient air flow.

Another issue would be the cost of continual replacement if the filter could not be cleaned and re-installed.

I believe the degree/rate of filter contamination is much higher when attempting to filter outside air than it would be if it were only filtering

air within a room which, hopefully, would be much less contaminated.

In any event, food for thought and further research and maybe some action and Thanks again for the thoughtful post.

[geriatrickid]

I was wondering if that was true about roofing being made of asbestos. There are plenty of victims that they can call to find out the truth from.

Personally, I think that the paint they use here is a big contributor. I used to paint houses and have a high sensitivity to it. In California they passed laws making oil based paints almost completely illegal. Now paint companies have created water based formulas for paints, varnishes, everything. And they work much better, especially against mold. I see painters using these toxic paints and it pi**es me off every time.

Good ooint. 3 years ago Rama hospital undertook a national study on paint and enamels. High angerous concentrations of lead in some enamels especially yellow.

Lead based paint is practically banned in the west and no sane parent would expose a growing child to lead.

A Medical Study of Bangkok Metropolitan’s Pre-School Child Care Centers”. Authors Dr. Chantima Jaiphan and Asso. Prof. Dr. Adisak Palittapholkarnphim from CSPIPRC.

Dr. Jaiphan and Asso.Prof.Dr. Palittapholkarnphim conducted the study at 17 out of 293 pre-school child care centers under the administration of Bangkok Metropolitan Office. Of these 17 pre-school child care centers, there were 187 samples taken from paints, toys, food containers, drinking water and its containers, cups, spoons, dust on floor, etc. to detect for lead contamination. The study found that 11 out of 187 samples, which were collected from the total of 10 pre-school child care centers, had lead concentrations higher than the standard level (10 µg/dl) or 58.8 % of the total 17 pre-school child care centers being studied.

Is it any wonder that some children manifest development problems?

[TimC]

Living off Soi 4, Nana for going on 2 years. It's near the freeway and I addressed at least the dust pollution by the following:

... boring, technical detaiis snipped ...

Even better, why not construct for yourself a plastic bubble suit with a filter mask incorporated, so that you can walk around Soi 4 without having to breathe the foul air. Hopefully it will catch on and the Thais will see a market opportunity for copying you.

Great idea! Maybe I'll base it on a 'full body-condom' - something that one would think would be quite useful in Bangkok.

More likely, though, is that the design would ultimately result in a rented, pressurized aluminum tube with jet engines

attached headed in the direction of a locale with some serious air quality standards enforcement.

As far as Thais seeing a market opportunity from copying a farang ... shouldn't you have another Heineken about now?

[Tanaka]

Oh good. Develop a plan. Forget about actually doing anything. That would take political will, responsibility and making hard choices. Plans are a much better plan.

Not quite true. They are planning a crackdown on pollution.

[kuffki]

Oh good. Develop a plan. Forget about actually doing anything. That would take political will, responsibility and making hard choices. Plans are a much better plan.

Not quite true. They are planning a crackdown on pollution.

And i thought they were going to promote it as pollution hub

[marc11864]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

You don't really have to work that hard at being stupid do you?

[barrybankruad]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

Ok, Powder pouff, tell us, o great guru, what would you do about the pollution in Bkk? Sweet FA?

I suggest he goes and lives in Isaan as I do.

[swerver]

O boy. A fantastic pretext to be able to tell peoplke what to eat where to go & how to go there.

I am pretty sure the day is coming where eating meat will be classed as "Eco terrorism".

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

Have you actually been to Bangkok powderpuff?

The air is horrendous - buses churning out black smoke, vendors cooking on charcoal and 2-stroke motorbikes are a big part of the problem.

This isn't a bunch of greeny do gooders with dubious research - this is something every Bangkok dweller has to deal with and the health implications are very real.

Bangkok air is so polluted that I cannot live anymore in my residence in Bangkok.

I started 50-year ago living at Klong Papa which was at that time on the outskirts of Bangkok on the Dong Mang side, were I worked. When the air started to get foul I moved to Thai Ping Tpwers on the other outside of Bangkok. Next the foul air did drive me out of Soi Ekamai and I moved again to what them was the outskirt of Bangkok, Central Bangna. Now Central Bangna is insid Bangkok city.

The other night I did see a documentary about the polluted air in all major cities of the world, London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Tokyo, Shanghai, the list is as long as your arm.

Global Warming – then there is – Global Dimming

It can be argued that previous warming periods were much less severe than the one in which we seem to be living presently. This time, it appears that human-made pollution of the atmosphere is having more serious effects on Earth’s climate and on its ecological system.

There are two types of air pollution and this poses a terrible dilemma to humanity. On the one hand, human activities over the past 150 years, such as the burning of fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.), all connected with the Industrial Revolution, have contributed to cre­ating the phenomenon known as global warming, which is mainly caused by the release of invisible greenhouse gases into the atmos­phere. On the other hand, and this is paradoxical, the same man-made air pollutants caused by fossil fuel use - which result in the visible layers of smog in the atmosphere of large cities - turn clouds into mirrors that reflect more of the Sun's rays back into space, thus the Earth. This last phenomenon creates a contrary effect known as global dimming, whereby less heat and energy from the Sun reach the Earth. And as a result of Earth receiving less sunlight because of visible pollution, there is a global cooling effect on land and the oceans.

But the dimming effect has other disastrous consequences. It tends to affect weather patterns and rainfalls in different regions around the globe, thus causing droughts and famine in some areas, and heavy rains and floods in other areas. This has been clearly observed in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes. For example, it has been pos­tulated that global dimming may have caused the failure of the mon­soon in sub-Saharan Africa during the 1970s and 1980s.

Earth’s climate seems to be caught in a sort of tug-of-war between two competing atmospheric effects: one kind of visible pollution pre­vents sunlight from reaching the Earth, while another one, the invis­ible pollution, prevents heat radiation from the Earth from escaping into space. The global cooling effects of air pollution with visible par­ticles thus tend to mask somewhat the stronger global warming effects of invisible greenhouse gases.

This poses a potentially difficult dilemma to humanity regarding the fight against both types of atmospheric pollution. Indeed, if there were less visible pollution in the air at the same time that greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, a reduction in global dimming would tend to exacerbate global warming. That would translate into the quick melting of glaciers and a catastrophic rise in the level of oceans. Thus, paradoxically, a rapid solution to global dimming may lead to more pronounced increases in the Earth’s temperature. The Ice caps at the Earth’s poles would melt at a faster rate and the level of oceans would rise faster, with all the consequences that such occur­rences would entail for low, sea-level inhabited regions and for the global ecological system.

It would seem that humanity has no choice but to reduce, and eventually eliminate, both the visible and invisible causes of air pol­lution. Indeed, the obvious but difficult solution consists in reducing and eliminating simultaneously both visible pollution (particles) and invisible pollution (greenhouse gases). This will be the mounting challenge facing humanity in the coming years and decades. If this challenge is not met, humanity may pay a steep price for polluting the atmosphere.

[Crushdepth]

The air quality today is heaps better than it was in 2000. My first year in Bangkok the sky was perpetually brown, you could just see the outlines of skyscrapers 5km down the highway. A blue sky was a rare thing.

Too much dust? Well we could wet down construction sites OR force everone into electric cars. I wonder which choice the environmental nutjobs will choose?

If you live very close to one of the main roads, you might see a different kind of dust. I spent 2 years right next to Nawamin, everything was coated in black soot. Disgusting. I'd never do that again.

[BigBikeBKK]

I was wondering if that was true about roofing being made of asbestos. There are plenty of victims that they can call to find out the truth from.

Personally, I think that the paint they use here is a big contributor. I used to paint houses and have a high sensitivity to it. In California they passed laws making oil based paints almost completely illegal. Now paint companies have created water based formulas for paints, varnishes, everything. And they work much better, especially against mold. I see painters using these toxic paints and it pi**es me off every time.

Good ooint. 3 years ago Rama hospital undertook a national study on paint and enamels. High angerous concentrations of lead in some enamels especially yellow.

Lead based paint is practically banned in the west and no sane parent would expose a growing child to lead.

A Medical Study of Bangkok Metropolitan's Pre-School Child Care Centers". Authors Dr. Chantima Jaiphan and Asso. Prof. Dr. Adisak Palittapholkarnphim from CSPIPRC.

Dr. Jaiphan and Asso.Prof.Dr. Palittapholkarnphim conducted the study at 17 out of 293 pre-school child care centers under the administration of Bangkok Metropolitan Office. Of these 17 pre-school child care centers, there were 187 samples taken from paints, toys, food containers, drinking water and its containers, cups, spoons, dust on floor, etc. to detect for lead contamination. The study found that 11 out of 187 samples, which were collected from the total of 10 pre-school child care centers, had lead concentrations higher than the standard level (10 µg/dl) or 58.8 % of the total 17 pre-school child care centers being studied.

Is it any wonder that some children manifest development problems?

Yet most children's toys are still made in China and... From the New York Times:

China manufactured every one of the 24 kinds of toys recalled for safety reasons in the United States so far this year, including the enormously popular Thomas & Friends wooden train sets, a record that is causing alarm among consumer advocates, parents and regulators.

The latest recall, announced last week, involves 1.5 million Thomas & Friends trains and rail components — about 4 percent of all those sold in the United States over the last two years by RC2 Corporation of Oak Brook, Ill. The toys were coated at a factory in China with lead paint, which can damage brain cells, especially in children.

Just in the last month, a ghoulish fake eyeball toy made in China was recalled after it was found to be filled with kerosene. Sets of toy drums and a toy bear were also recalled because of lead paint, and an infant wrist rattle was recalled because of a choking hazard.

I worry a lot less about the paint on the walls than I do about the paint on my child's toys...

Moved out to the suburbs in search of cleaner air but seems just as dusty out here as it did downtown...

[mommysboy]

The report certainly ties in with what I experience and see around Din Dang area. I have 3 friends who previously had no problems complaining of asthma type symptoms. One of my fiends who moved to the outskirts has seen his nasal and stomach problems go away in the space of a week or two.

I myself have had a long and ongoing struggle with traffic pollution, so I didn't believe the figures published over the years.

More and more people coming down with mystery allergies, don't think it's the pollen and that's for sure.