Smog, a temporary inconvenience or the bane of large agglomerations that we have to get used to

Smog is one of the few unnatural weather phenomena that humanity is able to cause on its own. Smog consists in the simultaneous occurrence of haze, windless aura and increased emission of air pollutants in a small area. It can also be caused by the creation of an "atmospheric plug" over a given area, i.e. an extensive system blocking the outflow of air, and with it accumulated pollutants from a limited space, eg a valley or a plateau surrounded by mountains.

Smog can have many sources, most often it is caused by increased car traffic, and the source of pollution is car exhaust. We got used to the fact that it rather touches some undefined "them", somewhere far away. Unfortunately, we have to get used to the idea that more and more often we join the group of people affected by smog.

In Poland, the source of smog, apart from traffic, is primarily the so-called low emission, i.e. scientifically speaking, exhaust fumes emitted by household heating systems, and in more colloquial language, simply smoke from home boiler rooms. The lack of standards for furnaces, boilers and the heating fuel itself means that we often reach for cheaper but ecologically disastrous furnaces and fuels. In "civilized countries" such practices are unacceptable. Products considered as fuel in Poland must be disposed of by specialized organizations, and no one even thinks about burning them.

This approach to heating means that breathing in conditions of smog exposes us to at least: asthma, chronic bronchitis, respiratory failure, paralysis of the circulatory system, and reduced birth weight of fetuses. Smog also increases the likelihood of autism in children and significantly increases the likelihood of respiratory cancers. And this is just the beginning of the lists of diseases caused by smog cited by WHO, ESCAPE and other organizations monitoring our health.

How to protect yourself against smog?

The most effective defense is avoiding the threat, i.e. supplying our home heating installations with certified fuel, using certified high-efficiency boilers with exhaust gas catalysts, and switching from own cars to public transport more often. These are all remedies. However, what can we do when smog is already present? The only solution is to imitate the inhabitants of Asian metropolises, namely the use of dust masks.

Until recently, meeting a person wearing a dust mask on the street meant a techno or steampunk party was starting nearby. Now such a view is a person who cares about health and wants to function normally in the polluted environment of a big city.

Smog apocalypse, is this what awaits us?

Taking into account the actions that we would all have to take to counteract smog in our cities, the only solution is ad hoc action and the use of masks. Maybe the sight of "masked" cities will terrify us all and force us to act more long-term and thoughtful on a macro scale. However, if we are doomed to micro actions, all we have to do is mask ourselves.

Particulate filtering half mask available at distripark.com

*This article is for informational purposes only. The presented description, in particular the use of the products, is exemplary and constitutes non-binding information about the characteristics and possibilities of their use/application. In any case, before using the product, consult a specialist whether the specific use is safe and justified. We do not bear any responsibility for the use of the proposed solutions, even in very similar situations.