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What can be done to ensure athlete and spectator safety?","excerptHtml","

Po Valley will host the upcoming Winter Olympics when pollution is at its peak. What can be done to ensure athlete and spectator safety?

","content","In February 2026, Milan, Italy and the surrounding Po Valley will host the Winter Olympics, a global celebration of athletic excellence set against one of Europe’s most persistent winter air quality challenges. The Po Valley in northern Italy routinely experiences winter smog. This intersection of Olympic athletic competition and poor air quality raises concerns for the health and performance of both athletes and spectators. Where will the 2026 Olympic games be held? The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games will be held in three northern provinces of Italy – Lombardy, South Tyrol, and Veneto from February 6 through 22 (1). While most of the stadiums, arenas, and parks are in the surrounding Alps, the two largest participating cities – Milan and Verona – lie in the Po Valley. Five arenas and stadiums in Milan will host indoor-only events and the opening ceremony, while Verona Olympic Arena will host the closing ceremonies. Other venue locations include: Anterselva / Antholz, South Tyrol Bormio, Lombardy Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto Livigno, Lombardy Predazzo, Trentino Tesero, Trentino All locations, with the exceptions of Tesero and Verona, will house Olympic Villages where athletes will reside during the games. Why is the Po Valley’s air quality poor in winter? The Po Valley’s unique geography plays a central role in trapping pollutants: the valley is hemmed in by the Alps to the north and the Apennine Mountains to the south, creating a natural basin that traps cold air and pollutants. This \"bowl effect\" is compounded by meteorological conditions, particularly in winter, when temperature inversions occur. During these inversions, a layer of warm air settles above the cooler air near the ground, acting like a lid that prevents pollutants from dispersing upward or outward. As a result, pollutants can linger over the valley for days or even weeks. Human activity degrades the region’s poor air quality. Human activity affects the region’s air quality. The Po Valley is home to some of Italy’s most industrialized areas, where factories release PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller – and nitrogen oxides (NO2) (2). Agriculture also contributes pollutants, as livestock farming produces ammonia, which reacts with industrial and vehicle emissions to create secondary particulate matter. According to a 2024 study, livestock farming may be responsible for as much as a quarter of Lombardy’s air pollution (3). Smoke from residential wood burning impacts winter air quality in the Po Valley (4). Vehicle emissions, particularly in major cities like Milan and Turin, are also sources of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 (5). These geographic and emissions-related factors are reflected in Milan’s long-term air quality data—but annual averages can mask the severity of winter pollution. In 2024, Milan's annual average PM2.5 concentration was 17 µg/m3. This was 3.4 times the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m3. However, this figure blends relatively cleaner summer conditions with much higher winter concentrations. During peak winter months, pollution levels rise sharply. In February 2025, Milan’s average monthly PM2.5 concentration was 32.1 µg/m3. These winter pollution episodes are often driven by stagnant air and temperature inversions rather than predictable daily emission cycles. Air quality in surrounding Alpine valleys may also be affected by residential wood burning combined with inversion conditions (6). Air quality lessons from past Olympics Previous Olympic host countries have struggled with poor air quality and have had to take measures to ensure health and safety. Beijing, China faced the potential for severe air pollution while hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics – and officials took proactive measures. In the months leading up to the Games, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing installed a regulatory-grade air quality monitor that exposed hazardous air quality in the city. Chinese authorities enacted sweeping temporary measures, including shutting down factories, and restricting vehicle traffic. Chinese officials implemented a robust policy shift in 2013, a year of terrible air quality for the country. The official policy response focused on long term air quality improvements – tougher coal-fired plant emissions standards, further vehicle restrictions, and initiatives to cut coal-fired home heating with electric or gas heaters (7). By the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, air pollution in the city was half that of both 2008 and 2013 (8). Rio de Janeiro was confronted with its own environmental crisis during the 2016 Olympics. While polluted water dominated the headlines, air quality also remained a persistent concern due to rapid development and 2.7 million vehicles in the city (9). To test those concerns, the Reuters news agency tested air quality at several Olympic sites across the city, finding a peak 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration of 65 µg/m3 at the Olympic Stadium (10). The WHO air quality guideline for an average 24-hour PM2.5 is 15 µg/m3. How winter smog can affect athletes Air pollution impacts the health and performance of those at the heart of the Olympics: the athletes. For endurance sports like cross-country skiing and biathlon, where athletes push their bodies to the limit for extended periods, polluted air reduces oxygen uptake and impairs lung function (11). Rapidly breathing in particulate matter can carry significant risks. Rapidly breathing in particulate matter can carry health risks. PM2.5 pollution penetrates deep into the lungs, triggering inflammation and narrowing airways, which can decrease stamina and slow recovery. Even short-term exposure during competition can lead to coughing, wheezing, and reduced athletic performance. High-intensity sports, such as ice hockey and speed skating, are also affected, as the increased respiratory rate during exertion means athletes inhale more pollutants, further straining their cardiovascular and respiratory systems. How winter smog affects spectators Vulnerable spectators—children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma—face heightened risks of respiratory distress when exposed to air quality in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range. Outdoor venues, where events like ski jumps, open-air ceremonies, and marathon-style races take place, present the greatest exposure, as there is no barrier between the crowd and air pollution. Even indoor events may not offer full protection, as pollutants can seep inside or accumulate in poorly ventilated spaces. Po Valley residents have been demonstrably susceptible to winter air quality health risks. A study found that the highest mortality burden for European cities in 2015 was in the Po Valley, Poland, and the Czech Republic (12). And a 2025 study uncovered that infants in Northern Italy with medium-term exposure to high concentrations of pollutants experienced a greater risk of acute bronchiolitis (13). How to reduce exposure during winter smog Winter smog is a recurring reality in the Po Valley, but its health impacts can be meaningfully reduced with the right safeguards in place. What governments are doing With the 2026 Olympics looming, authorities are working to improve air quality through a mix of policy and contingency planning. At the national level, Italy has adopted air quality plans aimed at reducing traffic-related emissions, including incentives for electric vehicles and restrictions on older, high-emissions cars (14). Lombardy has expanded these efforts with additional financial incentives for electric vehicle purchases and vehicle scrappage programs. Milan has implemented low-emission zones between 2019 and 2026, covering most of the city’s traffic-related emissions (15). Local and national governments, as well as Olympics organizers, have leaned into a transportation plan that emphasizes more sustainable mass public transit improvements – in particular through rail service (16). What athletes can do Athletes may need to consider several options for protecting their health during the event. Monitor air quality. Download a free, real-time air quality app to monitor pollution levels. Wear a mask. Athletes may choose to put on a K95/FFP2 face mask on poor air quality days. Choose low-pollution routes. Steer clear of busy roads and urban areas where vehicle emissions concentrate. Train indoors. Whenever possible, move workouts indoors, particularly in spaces equipped with high-performance air purifiers. What spectators and residents can do Olympic Game tourists and residents also have some options for protecting themselves from air pollution during their visit. Download a free air quality app to stay informed about air pollution in real time. Wear a K95/FFP2 face mask when venturing out on poor air quality days. Use an air purifier to reduce the concentration of PM2.5 indoors. Conclusion The 2026 Winter Olympics place Milan and the Po Valley under a global spotlight at a time when air pollution remains a persistent challenge. Protecting athlete performance and public health will depend on continued coordination between government authorities, Olympic organizers, and local stakeholders. Measures already underway—ranging from vehicle restrictions to expanded public transit and contingency planning—demonstrate that large international events can coexist with environmental risk management. How effectively these efforts are implemented may help shape expectations for how future host cities address air quality during major global gatherings.","contentHtml","

In February 2026, Milan, Italy and the surrounding Po Valley will host the Winter Olympics, a global celebration of athletic excellence set against one of Europe’s most persistent winter air quality challenges.

The Po Valley in northern Italy routinely experiences winter smog. This intersection of Olympic athletic competition and poor air quality raises concerns for the health and performance of both athletes and spectators.

Where will the 2026 Olympic games be held?

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic games will be held in three northern provinces of Italy – Lombardy, South Tyrol, and Veneto from February 6 through 22 (1). While most of the stadiums, arenas, and parks are in the surrounding Alps, the two largest participating cities – Milan and Verona – lie in the Po Valley. Five arenas and stadiums in Milan will host indoor-only events and the opening ceremony, while Verona Olympic Arena will host the closing ceremonies.

Other venue locations include:

Anterselva / Antholz, South Tyrol
\n
\nBormio, Lombardy
\n
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Veneto
\n
\nLivigno, Lombardy
\n
Predazzo, Trentino
\n
Tesero, Trentino
\n

All locations, with the exceptions of Tesero and Verona, will house Olympic Villages where athletes will reside during the games.

Why is the Po Valley’s air quality poor in winter?

The Po Valley’s unique geography plays a central role in trapping pollutants: the valley is hemmed in by the Alps to the north and the Apennine Mountains to the south, creating a natural basin that traps cold air and pollutants.

This \"bowl effect\" is compounded by meteorological conditions, particularly in winter, when temperature inversions occur. During these inversions, a layer of warm air settles above the cooler air near the ground, acting like a lid that prevents pollutants from dispersing upward or outward. As a result, pollutants can linger over the valley for days or even weeks.

Human activity degrades the region’s poor air quality.

Human activity affects the region’s air quality. The Po Valley is home to some of Italy’s most industrialized areas, where factories release PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller – and nitrogen oxides (NO2) (2).

Agriculture also contributes pollutants, as livestock farming produces ammonia, which reacts with industrial and vehicle emissions to create secondary particulate matter. According to a 2024 study, livestock farming may be responsible for as much as a quarter of Lombardy’s air pollution (3).

Smoke from residential wood burning impacts winter air quality in the Po Valley (4). Vehicle emissions, particularly in major cities like Milan and Turin, are also sources of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 (5). These geographic and emissions-related factors are reflected in Milan’s long-term air quality data—but annual averages can mask the severity of winter pollution.

In 2024, Milan's annual average PM2.5 concentration was 17 µg/m3. This was 3.4 times the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m3. However, this figure blends relatively cleaner summer conditions with much higher winter concentrations.

During peak winter months, pollution levels rise sharply. In February 2025, Milan’s average monthly PM2.5 concentration was 32.1 µg/m3.

These winter pollution episodes are often driven by stagnant air and temperature inversions rather than predictable daily emission cycles. Air quality in surrounding Alpine valleys may also be affected by residential wood burning combined with inversion conditions (6).

Air quality lessons from past Olympics

Previous Olympic host countries have struggled with poor air quality and have had to take measures to ensure health and safety.

Beijing, China faced the potential for severe air pollution while hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics – and officials took proactive measures. In the months leading up to the Games, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing installed a regulatory-grade air quality monitor that exposed hazardous air quality in the city. Chinese authorities enacted sweeping temporary measures, including shutting down factories, and restricting vehicle traffic.

Chinese officials implemented a robust policy shift in 2013, a year of terrible air quality for the country. The official policy response focused on long term air quality improvements – tougher coal-fired plant emissions standards, further vehicle restrictions, and initiatives to cut coal-fired home heating with electric or gas heaters (7). By the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, air pollution in the city was half that of both 2008 and 2013 (8).

Rio de Janeiro was confronted with its own environmental crisis during the 2016 Olympics. While polluted water dominated the headlines, air quality also remained a persistent concern due to rapid development and 2.7 million vehicles in the city (9). To test those concerns, the Reuters news agency tested air quality at several Olympic sites across the city, finding a peak 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration of 65 µg/m3 at the Olympic Stadium (10). The WHO air quality guideline for an average 24-hour PM2.5 is 15 µg/m3.

How winter smog can affect athletes
\n

Air pollution impacts the health and performance of those at the heart of the Olympics: the athletes.

For endurance sports like cross-country skiing and biathlon, where athletes push their bodies to the limit for extended periods, polluted air reduces oxygen uptake and impairs lung function (11).

Rapidly breathing in particulate matter can carry significant risks.

Rapidly breathing in particulate matter can carry health risks. PM2.5 pollution penetrates deep into the lungs, triggering inflammation and narrowing airways, which can decrease stamina and slow recovery. Even short-term exposure during competition can lead to coughing, wheezing, and reduced athletic performance.

High-intensity sports, such as ice hockey and speed skating, are also affected, as the increased respiratory rate during exertion means athletes inhale more pollutants, further straining their cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

How winter smog affects spectators

Vulnerable spectators—children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma—face heightened risks of respiratory distress when exposed to air quality in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range.

Outdoor venues, where events like ski jumps, open-air ceremonies, and marathon-style races take place, present the greatest exposure, as there is no barrier between the crowd and air pollution. Even indoor events may not offer full protection, as pollutants can seep inside or accumulate in poorly ventilated spaces.

Po Valley residents have been demonstrably susceptible to winter air quality health risks. A study found that the highest mortality burden for European cities in 2015 was in the Po Valley, Poland, and the Czech Republic (12).

And a 2025 study uncovered that infants in Northern Italy with medium-term exposure to high concentrations of pollutants experienced a greater risk of acute bronchiolitis (13).

How to reduce exposure during winter smog

Winter smog is a recurring reality in the Po Valley, but its health impacts can be meaningfully reduced with the right safeguards in place.

What governments are doing

With the 2026 Olympics looming, authorities are working to improve air quality through a mix of policy and contingency planning.

At the national level, Italy has adopted air quality plans aimed at reducing traffic-related emissions, including incentives for electric vehicles and restrictions on older, high-emissions cars (14).
\n
Lombardy has expanded these efforts with additional financial incentives for electric vehicle purchases and vehicle scrappage programs.
\n
Milan has implemented low-emission zones between 2019 and 2026, covering most of the city’s traffic-related emissions (15).
\n
Local and national governments, as well as Olympics organizers, have leaned into a transportation plan that emphasizes more sustainable mass public transit improvements – in particular through rail service (16).

What athletes can do

Athletes may need to consider several options for protecting their health during the event.

\nMonitor air quality. Download a free, real-time air quality app to monitor pollution levels.
\n
\nWear a mask. Athletes may choose to put on a K95/FFP2 face mask on poor air quality days.
\n
\nChoose low-pollution routes. Steer clear of busy roads and urban areas where vehicle emissions concentrate.
\n
\nTrain indoors. Whenever possible, move workouts indoors, particularly in spaces equipped with high-performance air purifiers.

What spectators and residents can do

Olympic Game tourists and residents also have some options for protecting themselves from air pollution during their visit.

\nDownload a free air quality app to stay informed about air pollution in real time.
\n
\nWear a K95/FFP2 face mask when venturing out on poor air quality days.
\n
\nUse an air purifier to reduce the concentration of PM2.5 indoors.

Conclusion

The 2026 Winter Olympics place Milan and the Po Valley under a global spotlight at a time when air pollution remains a persistent challenge. Protecting athlete performance and public health will depend on continued coordination between government authorities, Olympic organizers, and local stakeholders.

Measures already underway—ranging from vehicle restrictions to expanded public transit and contingency planning—demonstrate that large international events can coexist with environmental risk management. How effectively these efforts are implemented may help shape expectations for how future host cities address air quality during major global gatherings.

","2026-winter-olympics-air-quality-challenges-in-the-po-valley","gid://shopify/Article/1000260043126","onlineStoreUrl","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/2026-winter-olympics-air-quality-challenges-in-the-po-valley","trackingParameters","publishedAt","2026-02-02T17:03:48Z",[390,638,653],"2026 Winter Olympics: Air quality challenges in the Po Valley","image",{"_10":1150,"_243":-5,"_246":1151,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412546335094","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Article_PoValley_Desk_B_85df1271-a87e-4aaf-8d23-81de29e7b8ec.jpg?v=1770829957",2880,1500,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1155,"_1115":1156,"_1131":1157,"_1133":1158,"_1135":1159,"_1137":1160,"_985":1161,"_10":1162,"_1141":1163,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1164,"_577":1165,"_541":1166,"_1148":1167},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Pollution doesn’t stay outside. Discover what in the air in homes near freeways—and how to reduce risk.","

Pollution doesn’t stay outside. Discover what in the air in homes near freeways—and how to reduce risk.

","Living near a freeway brings convenience — but also invisible risks. Studies show that homes, schools, and apartments within a few hundred meters of major roadways are exposed to elevated traffic pollution (1,2). And those pollutants don’t stay outside: many seep into indoor spaces, quietly affecting health, comfort, and cognitive performance. From ultrafine particles to toxic gases, traffic emissions release a dangerous mix of pollutants. Here’s what’s entering homes near busy roads. What pollutants come from road traffic Traffic emissions are a complex cocktail of gases and particles. Some are emitted directly from engines, while others come from the wear and tear of driving itself. The most concerning include: Ultrafine particles (UFPs): Smaller than 0.1 µm, these can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Black carbon: A marker of diesel and gasoline combustion, strongly elevated near highways. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5): Less localized than UFPs but still harmful indoors. Nitrogen oxides (NO₂/NOₓ): Emitted by engines; linked to respiratory illness. Carbon monoxide (CO): Highest near dense traffic corridors. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Carcinogens like benzene and PAHs from fuel. Brake, tire and road-wear particles: Release metals like copper, zinc and iron. As IQAir CEO Frank Hammes said: “Traffic is one of the major pollution sources and tailpipe emissions are among the worst.” How far and how much pollution travels Pollution concentrations are strongest right next to the road, but still measurable hundreds of meters away. Steep gradients: UFPs, black carbon, NO₂ and CO typically fall sharply within 50–200 meters. Leveling out: By 300–500 meters, levels approach background, though weather and topography matter. PM2.5: Less variable but still elevated in near-road neighborhoods. Why traffic-related pollutants enter homes If outdoor air is polluted, why does it end up inside? In short: buildings breathe. Pressure differences from wind and temperature (the “stack effect”) pull outdoor air through the building envelope—around window frames and door seals, through vents and gaps in construction, and via any HVAC system that brings in outside air for ventilation. Even when windows are closed, this slow, continuous exchange can carry roadway pollution indoors (3). Ultrafine particles are especially tricky. Because they’re smaller than 0.1 µm, they slip through tiny cracks and stay suspended in indoor air for hours, drifting from room to room and settling into fabrics and dust (4). Gases like NO₂ and VOCs can also infiltrate and spread quickly through shared ducts or open floor plans. Indoor sources can compound the problem. Cooking (especially on gas stoves), smoking, burning candles or incense, and some cleaning products add their own particles and VOCs to the air. When indoor sources stack on top of outdoor infiltration, overall exposure rises—making indoor air quality highly dependent on both the conditions outside and the way a building is sealed, ventilated, and used. The role of monitoring You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Air quality monitoring — both indoors and outdoors — is essential to understanding exposure to pollution. Indoor air quality monitors reveal how much pollution is entering your home. Outdoor monitors show real-time changes in outdoor air quality, allowing users to better understand shifts in local traffic emissions, weather, or smog events. IQAir’s AirVisual platform and app provide hyperlocal air quality data worldwide. Open windows when outdoor air is good; keep them shut during rush hour or poor air days. Together, indoor and outdoor data empower households to take timely action, such as: Closing windows during high-traffic hours. Switching HVAC systems to recirculation. Running air purifiers when outdoor air quality worsens. Monitoring creates awareness — it’s the first step toward protection. How to reduce exposure when indoors The good news: practical actions make a real difference. Minimize indoor sources: Limit smoking, burning candles, and unvented cooking. Vent smart: Open windows when outdoor air is good; keep them shut during rush hour or poor air days. Upgrade filtration: Use high-efficiency HVAC filters (MERV-13+ where possible); whole-house air purification can also provide high-performance protection. Run portable purifiers with true HEPA or HyperHEPA filters, like IQAir’s Atem Earth, to capture ultrafine particles ideally in bedrooms and living rooms. Activated carbon filtration, like that in the GC MultiGas XE air purifier, can also help filter NO₂ and VOCs. Research shows these strategies can cut particle exposure by 50–70% or more (5). Conclusion Living near a freeway means more than traffic noise — it means daily exposure to harmful pollutants. But with awareness and action, you can protect yourself. The formula is simple: Awareness (monitoring) + Action (filtration + behavior) = Better protection. Start by monitoring your air indoors and out. Use the data to guide smart choices like closing windows at peak traffic, adjusting ventilation, and running air purifiers. These steps, repeated consistently, can significantly reduce the health risks of road pollution.","

Living near a freeway brings convenience — but also invisible risks. Studies show that homes, schools, and apartments within a few hundred meters of major roadways are exposed to elevated traffic pollution (1,2). And those pollutants don’t stay outside: many seep into indoor spaces, quietly affecting health, comfort, and cognitive performance.

From ultrafine particles to toxic gases, traffic emissions release a dangerous mix of pollutants. Here’s what’s entering homes near busy roads.

What pollutants come from road traffic

Traffic emissions are a complex cocktail of gases and particles. Some are emitted directly from engines, while others come from the wear and tear of driving itself. The most concerning include:

\nUltrafine particles (UFPs): Smaller than 0.1 µm, these can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.
\n
Black carbon: A marker of diesel and gasoline combustion, strongly elevated near highways.
\n
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5): Less localized than UFPs but still harmful indoors.
\n
Nitrogen oxides (NO₂/NOₓ): Emitted by engines; linked to respiratory illness.
\n
Carbon monoxide (CO): Highest near dense traffic corridors.
\n
\nVolatile organic compounds (VOCs): Carcinogens like benzene and PAHs from fuel.
\n
Brake, tire and road-wear particles: Release metals like copper, zinc and iron.
\n

As IQAir CEO Frank Hammes said: “Traffic is one of the major pollution sources and tailpipe emissions are among the worst.”

How far and how much pollution travels

Pollution concentrations are strongest right next to the road, but still measurable hundreds of meters away.

Steep gradients: UFPs, black carbon, NO₂ and CO typically fall sharply within 50–200 meters.
\n
Leveling out: By 300–500 meters, levels approach background, though weather and topography matter.
\n
PM2.5: Less variable but still elevated in near-road neighborhoods.
\n

Why traffic-related pollutants enter homes

If outdoor air is polluted, why does it end up inside? In short: buildings breathe. Pressure differences from wind and temperature (the “stack effect”) pull outdoor air through the building envelope—around window frames and door seals, through vents and gaps in construction, and via any HVAC system that brings in outside air for ventilation. Even when windows are closed, this slow, continuous exchange can carry roadway pollution indoors (3).

Ultrafine particles are especially tricky. Because they’re smaller than 0.1 µm, they slip through tiny cracks and stay suspended in indoor air for hours, drifting from room to room and settling into fabrics and dust (4). Gases like NO₂ and VOCs can also infiltrate and spread quickly through shared ducts or open floor plans.

Indoor sources can compound the problem. Cooking (especially on gas stoves), smoking, burning candles or incense, and some cleaning products add their own particles and VOCs to the air.

When indoor sources stack on top of outdoor infiltration, overall exposure rises—making indoor air quality highly dependent on both the conditions outside and the way a building is sealed, ventilated, and used.

The role of monitoring

You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Air quality monitoring — both indoors and outdoors — is essential to understanding exposure to pollution.

\nIndoor air quality monitors reveal how much pollution is entering your home.
\nOutdoor monitors show real-time changes in outdoor air quality, allowing users to better understand shifts in local traffic emissions, weather, or smog events.
\nIQAir’s AirVisual platform and app provide hyperlocal air quality data worldwide.

Open windows when outdoor air is good; keep them shut during rush hour or poor air days.

Together, indoor and outdoor data empower households to take timely action, such as:

Closing windows during high-traffic hours.
Switching HVAC systems to recirculation.
Running air purifiers when outdoor air quality worsens.
\n

Monitoring creates awareness — it’s the first step toward protection.

How to reduce exposure when indoors

The good news: practical actions make a real difference.

Minimize indoor sources: Limit smoking, burning candles, and unvented cooking.
Vent smart: Open windows when outdoor air is good; keep them shut during rush hour or poor air days.
\n
Upgrade filtration:
\n
- Use high-efficiency HVAC filters (MERV-13+ where possible); whole-house air purification can also provide high-performance protection.
  \n
- Run portable purifiers with true HEPA or HyperHEPA filters, like IQAir’s Atem Earth, to capture ultrafine particles ideally in bedrooms and living rooms.
  \n
- Activated carbon filtration, like that in the GC MultiGas XE air purifier, can also help filter NO₂ and VOCs.
\n

Research shows these strategies can cut particle exposure by 50–70% or more (5).

Conclusion

Living near a freeway means more than traffic noise — it means daily exposure to harmful pollutants. But with awareness and action, you can protect yourself.

The formula is simple: Awareness (monitoring) + Action (filtration + behavior) = Better protection.

Start by monitoring your air indoors and out. Use the data to guide smart choices like closing windows at peak traffic, adjusting ventilation, and running air purifiers. These steps, repeated consistently, can significantly reduce the health risks of road pollution.

","road-pollution-freeways","gid://shopify/Article/1000079163766","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/road-pollution-freeways","2026-01-28T08:00:00Z",[390,653],"Road Pollution: Air quality in homes near freeways",{"_10":1168,"_243":-5,"_246":1169,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412708176246","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Article_RoadPollution_Desk-A_25eab3ad-1fad-47d3-aeca-0326e548fbe1.jpg?v=1771349358",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1171,"_1115":1172,"_1131":1173,"_1133":1174,"_1135":1175,"_1137":1176,"_985":1177,"_10":1178,"_1141":1179,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1180,"_577":1181,"_541":1182,"_1148":1183},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Millions burn biomass for heating, cooking, and crop waste removal. Find out why the cost in health and lives is too high to continue.","

Millions burn biomass for heating, cooking, and crop waste removal. Find out why the cost in health and lives is too high to continue.

","Every day, nearly 3 billion people light fires to cook, heat their homes, or clear land. These fires fill the air with a toxic cocktail of pollutants. Black plumes of smoke rise from woodstoves, crop fields, and wildfires to form a long-term public health crisis. These practices are collectively known as biomass burning—the combustion of organic materials like wood, crop waste, and dung. Biomass burning pumps out PM2.5 (particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller), carbon monoxide, and other pollutants linked to millions of premature deaths each year from stroke, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. Biomass is sometimes deemed “renewable,” but its smoke is anything but harmless. Although biomass burning occurs worldwide, its impacts extend far beyond the communities where the smoke is produced; black carbon from incomplete combustion accelerates glacier melt, disrupts rainfall, and crosses oceans. What is biomass burning? People have used biomass for energy since the earliest humans first lit wood fires for cooking and warmth. Biomass is organic material from living—or recently living—organisms, such as wood, crop residues, and animal waste. Examples of organic materials may include: Charcoal Crop waste Dung Wood Today, biomass is widely burned for cooking and heating, and, in some places, it is also used to generate electricity and power industrial systems (1). While some biomass burning results from natural processes like lightning-sparked wildfires, it is generally derived from human activity. Because biomass burning is so widespread and often happens close to where people live, its health impacts are felt most by those exposed to the smoke every day. Who breathes biomass smoke? Because biomass burning often occurs indoors or near homes, exposure falls hardest on those who spend the most time nearby. In rural homes across sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and Latin America, women and girls spend hours each day gathered around open fires or rudimentary stoves. The consequences are devastating; the World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from biomass kills over 3 million people annually (2). The World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from biomass kills over 3 million people annually. Those most affected by biomass burning are also often the most vulnerable: elders, women, and children. Children under five are particularly at risk for pneumonia—the leading infectious killer of children worldwide. Even before they take their first breath, babies born to mothers exposed to biomass smoke face higher risks of low birth weight (3). For families already stretched thin by poverty, the cycle is brutal; time spent collecting firewood is time lost to education or work, and medical bills for smoke-related illnesses push millions deeper into debt. Though the impacts are most acute in less affluent regions, biomass smoke affects everyone, regardless of geography or income. In wealthier nations, wildfires are growing more intense and long-lasting due to climate change. Wildfire smoke can drift for miles and blanket cities for weeks at a time. Wood pellet burning, fireplaces, and backyard fire pits can all contribute to poor air quality as well. Where biomass is produced for energy Biomass is used very differently around the world. In some countries, it is produced at industrial scale and treated as an energy commodity—often to generate electricity, produce liquid biofuels, or supply heating fuel. Industrial biomass fuel production is greatest in the United States, which converts corn to ethanol for gasoline and electrical production. In 2024, the U.S. produced equal to about 856,000 barrels of oil (BOE) in biomass per day (4). Brazil is the second largest producer at 510,000 BOEs per day, primarily sourced from sugarcane. Indonesia produces 205,000 BOEs each day mostly from palm oil, but also from crop waste, wood, and coconut shells. China, India, and Germany follow as the next largest biofuel producers. Where biomass is burned for daily survival In contrast to industrial bioenergy production, many countries rely on biomass burning not by choice, but out of necessity. In these countries there is an overwhelming dependence on biomass burning for household cooking and heating. While biomass accounts for only about 5% of total energy use in the United States, Sub-Saharan African countries depend overwhelmingly on biomass burning for home fuel use (5): Ethiopia: 92.5% of energy comes from biomass Democratic Republic of the Congo: 92.2% Tanzania: 85% Nigeria: 81.5 Outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, other countries also heavily rely on biomass as their primary source for home heating and cooking fuel, placing entire households at daily risk of harmful smoke exposure: Haiti: 81% Nepal: 80.6% Cambodia: 66.9% Myanmar: 65.3% Guatemala: 62.8% In these regions, biomass burning isn’t an occasional source of pollution—it is a daily, unavoidable exposure that shapes health outcomes across entire communities. Why biomass burning remains widespread Biomass burning endures because for billions, wood, dung, or charcoal are either the only heating and cooking fuels they can afford—or the only fuels available. In rural villages, propane or electricity may be physically inaccessible; in crowded cities, they may be too expensive. Even when cleaner options exist, deeply rooted traditions and distrust of new technologies can slow the pace of change (6). Families often spend a high proportion of their income on fuel and healthcare costs tied to biomass yet lack the upfront cash to switch to cleaner options. Subsidies for wood pellets and lax regulation enforcement on wood burning stoves and heaters also keep the practice alive, even though wood burning smoke is linked to heart and lung diseases (7)(8). These economic and structural barriers make biomass burning difficult to replace, even when the health risks are well understood. Protect yourself from biomass smoke The most effective way to reduce the harms of biomass burning is to address pollution at its source, where possible. Individuals Monitor and share neighborhood air quality information Support organizations that distribute clean stoves Demand stronger air quality standards Choose smokeless alternatives (when possible) Businesses Invest in cleaner fuel alternatives Work to make those fuels cheaper and more accessible Policymakers Prioritize funding for clean energy access Enforce bans on harmful burning practices For the billions still exposed to biomass smoke, protection begins with better information. Real-time air quality monitoring and public alert systems can help communities prepare for high-smoke days, allowing schools to suspend outdoor activities, hospitals to brace for respiratory cases, and families to seal windows or relocate temporarily. Downloading a free air quality app and listening to local radio broadcasts that track smoke forecasts can save lives by giving people time to act. In homes where clean fuels aren’t an option, small changes can cut exposure. A chimney or even a well-placed window can vent smoke outside. Shifting biomass burning cooking outdoors or, if possible, using a hood with an exhaust fan can reduce the buildup of indoor pollutants. Other potential solutions include running a high-efficiency air purifier indoors and, when outdoors, wearing a properly-fitted KN95/FFP2 mask can help filter out pollutants. Conclusion Biomass burning is a global health crisis, but one that, with courage and determined action, can be tackled. The tools exist. From affordable clean cookstoves to policies that phase out dirty fuels, from community-led forest management to global agreements on black carbon. The goal is a future where cleaner energy options make it unnecessary for anyone to choose between heating their home and harming their lungs. Understanding what biomass is—and why its impacts are so severe—is the first step toward change.","

Every day, nearly 3 billion people light fires to cook, heat their homes, or clear land. These fires fill the air with a toxic cocktail of pollutants. Black plumes of smoke rise from woodstoves, crop fields, and wildfires to form a long-term public health crisis.

These practices are collectively known as biomass burning—the combustion of organic materials like wood, crop waste, and dung. Biomass burning pumps out PM2.5 (particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller), carbon monoxide, and other pollutants linked to millions of premature deaths each year from stroke, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.

Biomass is sometimes deemed “renewable,” but its smoke is anything but harmless. Although biomass burning occurs worldwide, its impacts extend far beyond the communities where the smoke is produced; black carbon from incomplete combustion accelerates glacier melt, disrupts rainfall, and crosses oceans.

What is biomass burning?

People have used biomass for energy since the earliest humans first lit wood fires for cooking and warmth. Biomass is organic material from living—or recently living—organisms, such as wood, crop residues, and animal waste.

Examples of organic materials may include:

Charcoal
\n
Crop waste
\n
Dung
\n
Wood

Today, biomass is widely burned for cooking and heating, and, in some places, it is also used to generate electricity and power industrial systems (1).

While some biomass burning results from natural processes like lightning-sparked wildfires, it is generally derived from human activity.

Because biomass burning is so widespread and often happens close to where people live, its health impacts are felt most by those exposed to the smoke every day.

Who breathes biomass smoke?
\n

Because biomass burning often occurs indoors or near homes, exposure falls hardest on those who spend the most time nearby.

In rural homes across sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and Latin America, women and girls spend hours each day gathered around open fires or rudimentary stoves. The consequences are devastating; the World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from biomass kills over 3 million people annually (2).

The World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from biomass kills over 3 million people annually.

Those most affected by biomass burning are also often the most vulnerable: elders, women, and children. Children under five are particularly at risk for pneumonia—the leading infectious killer of children worldwide. Even before they take their first breath, babies born to mothers exposed to biomass smoke face higher risks of low birth weight (3).

For families already stretched thin by poverty, the cycle is brutal; time spent collecting firewood is time lost to education or work, and medical bills for smoke-related illnesses push millions deeper into debt.

Though the impacts are most acute in less affluent regions, biomass smoke affects everyone, regardless of geography or income. In wealthier nations, wildfires are growing more intense and long-lasting due to climate change. Wildfire smoke can drift for miles and blanket cities for weeks at a time. Wood pellet burning, fireplaces, and backyard fire pits can all contribute to poor air quality as well.

Where biomass is produced for energy

Biomass is used very differently around the world. In some countries, it is produced at industrial scale and treated as an energy commodity—often to generate electricity, produce liquid biofuels, or supply heating fuel.

Industrial biomass fuel production is greatest in the United States, which converts corn to ethanol for gasoline and electrical production. In 2024, the U.S. produced equal to about 856,000 barrels of oil (BOE) in biomass per day (4).

Brazil is the second largest producer at 510,000 BOEs per day, primarily sourced from sugarcane. Indonesia produces 205,000 BOEs each day mostly from palm oil, but also from crop waste, wood, and coconut shells. China, India, and Germany follow as the next largest biofuel producers.

Where biomass is burned for daily survival

In contrast to industrial bioenergy production, many countries rely on biomass burning not by choice, but out of necessity. In these countries there is an overwhelming dependence on biomass burning for household cooking and heating.

While biomass accounts for only about 5% of total energy use in the United States, Sub-Saharan African countries depend overwhelmingly on biomass burning for home fuel use (5):

\nEthiopia: 92.5% of energy comes from biomass
\n
\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo: 92.2%
\n
\nTanzania: 85%
\n
\nNigeria: 81.5

Outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, other countries also heavily rely on biomass as their primary source for home heating and cooking fuel, placing entire households at daily risk of harmful smoke exposure:

\nHaiti: 81%
\n
\nNepal: 80.6%
\n
\nCambodia: 66.9%
\n
\nMyanmar: 65.3%
\n
\nGuatemala: 62.8%

In these regions, biomass burning isn’t an occasional source of pollution—it is a daily, unavoidable exposure that shapes health outcomes across entire communities.

Why biomass burning remains widespread

Biomass burning endures because for billions, wood, dung, or charcoal are either the only heating and cooking fuels they can afford—or the only fuels available.

In rural villages, propane or electricity may be physically inaccessible; in crowded cities, they may be too expensive. Even when cleaner options exist, deeply rooted traditions and distrust of new technologies can slow the pace of change (6). Families often spend a high proportion of their income on fuel and healthcare costs tied to biomass yet lack the upfront cash to switch to cleaner options.

Subsidies for wood pellets and lax regulation enforcement on wood burning stoves and heaters also keep the practice alive, even though wood burning smoke is linked to heart and lung diseases (7)(8). These economic and structural barriers make biomass burning difficult to replace, even when the health risks are well understood.

Protect yourself from biomass smoke

The most effective way to reduce the harms of biomass burning is to address pollution at its source, where possible.

Individuals

\nMonitor and share neighborhood air quality information
\n
Support organizations that distribute clean stoves
\n
Demand stronger air quality standards
\n
Choose smokeless alternatives (when possible)

Businesses

Invest in cleaner fuel alternatives
\n
Work to make those fuels cheaper and more accessible

Policymakers

Prioritize funding for clean energy access
Enforce bans on harmful burning practices
\n

For the billions still exposed to biomass smoke, protection begins with better information. Real-time air quality monitoring and public alert systems can help communities prepare for high-smoke days, allowing schools to suspend outdoor activities, hospitals to brace for respiratory cases, and families to seal windows or relocate temporarily. Downloading a free air quality app and listening to local radio broadcasts that track smoke forecasts can save lives by giving people time to act.

In homes where clean fuels aren’t an option, small changes can cut exposure. A chimney or even a well-placed window can vent smoke outside. Shifting biomass burning cooking outdoors or, if possible, using a hood with an exhaust fan can reduce the buildup of indoor pollutants.

Other potential solutions include running a high-efficiency air purifier indoors and, when outdoors, wearing a properly-fitted KN95/FFP2 mask can help filter out pollutants.

Conclusion

Biomass burning is a global health crisis, but one that, with courage and determined action, can be tackled.

The tools exist. From affordable clean cookstoves to policies that phase out dirty fuels, from community-led forest management to global agreements on black carbon. The goal is a future where cleaner energy options make it unnecessary for anyone to choose between heating their home and harming their lungs. Understanding what biomass is—and why its impacts are so severe—is the first step toward change.

","biomass-burning-explained","gid://shopify/Article/1000093254006","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/biomass-burning-explained","2026-01-25T23:00:00Z",[390,653],"Biomass burning explained: What it is and why it matters",{"_10":1184,"_243":-5,"_246":1185,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412508422518","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Article_Biomass_Desk_2f059618-e13a-4426-93dc-f35754ab8ca9.jpg?v=1770742370",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1187,"_1115":1188,"_1131":1189,"_1133":1190,"_1135":1191,"_1137":1192,"_985":1193,"_10":1194,"_1141":1195,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1196,"_577":1197,"_541":1198,"_1148":1199},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"The pollution doesn’t disappear when cooler temps arrive on the Arabian Peninsula. Learn why dust remains a problem and how to stay safe from unhealthy air year-round.","

The pollution doesn’t disappear when cooler temps arrive on the Arabian Peninsula. Learn why dust remains a problem and how to stay safe from unhealthy air year-round.

","Global hubs like Doha, Qatar, Dubai, UAE, Kuwait City, Kuwait, Manama, and Bahrain, lie on the coastal area of the Arabian Peninsula and are home to millions of residents and expatriates. These cities regularly rank among the most polluted major cities in the world due to persistently high dust concentrations, even in winter. This makes air quality a year-round public health priority. While dust storms are usually associated with scorching summer temperatures, winter brings its own air quality health concerns. Winter dust and sand can pose an equally serious threat to human health on the Arabian Peninsula for some surprising reasons. Contrary to what many expect, cooler winter weather doesn’t bring cleaner air or less air pollution to the Arabian Peninsula. The winter dust paradox A combination of meteorological and human factors ensures the persistence of dust through the Arabian Peninsula’s winter months. Strong seasonal winds, like the northwesterly “shamal,” carry fine particles from the deserts of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Iran into Arabian Peninsula communities (1). Although dry, hot shamals are typically associated with the summer, they can occur in winter as well. And while dust storms are less common than in summer, they can still trigger flight cancellations and school closures (2). Air quality in the “Unhealthy” to “Very Unhealthy” ranges in Kuwait City, Kuwait on December 11, 2025, 1:18 PM PT. Source: IQAir. In addition to these wind-driven events, other natural and human sources add to the region’s burden. Salt blown in from the sea, rapid-paced construction, and vehicle and petrochemical industrial emissions all contribute to wintertime pollution (3). As a result, the largest cities on the Arabian Peninsula routinely exceed the WHO guideline for PM2.5 of 5 μg/m3 or less, even in winter. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were among the top 25 most polluted cities in 2024, in part due to the consistently poor air quality throughout the year. Another regional nation, Iran, was absent from the report due to a lack of air quality monitoring data.Unlike in the summer, winter dust can be more insidious. Outside of shamal events, weaker winds and temperature inversions—when a layer of warm air sits above cooler air near the surface—can trap pollutants close to the ground (4). This keeps dust and other pollutants lingering for longer periods. Where does the dust come from? The region’s dust has both natural and human-caused origins. Natural sources include the vast deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia, while human activities—construction, vehicle emissions, and industrial operations—intensify the problem. Transboundary dust transport poses a significant health challenge on the Arabian Peninsula. Transboundary dust transport poses a significant health challenge on the Arabian Peninsula, with winds carrying particles from as far as North Africa and the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Satellite imagery and dust modeling confirm that dust events are frequent in winter, with major plumes blown across the sea from Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia (5)(6).For example, on December 11, 2025, high concentrations of dust and sand flowed into the area from the Rubʿ al-Khali on the Arabian Peninsula, while some dust from Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia was carried south into the region (7). Consequently, air quality in Dubai was “moderate” to “unhealthy” several times throughout the day.Historic air quality graph of Dubai, UAE on December 11, 2025. Source: IQAir.Air quality in the “Moderate” to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” ranges in Dubai, UAE on December 11, 2025, 1:18 PM PT. Source: IQAir. Health risks of Arabian Peninsula regional dust Exposure to dust, especially fine particles like PM2.5, is linked to a range of health issues. These include respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as cardiovascular problems that can contribute to heart attacks and strokes. This is because when inhaled, tiny particles can enter the blood stream and eventually reach every organ in the body. Even prolonged exposure to PM10 – larger particulate matter measuring 10 microns in diameter or less – can lead to serious health complications. Studies show that dust storms in the region increase hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. Studies show that dust storms in the region increase hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions (8)(9). Going inside to avoid the dust isn’t always a refuge; without proper ventilation and filtration, dust penetrates homes and workplaces, maintaining high exposure levels. Protect yourself from dust There are many ways people in the region can protect themselves from dust. Source control: While sandstorms are driven by geography and weather and cannot be prevented, human-made pollution sources can be reduced. Limiting vehicle idling, supporting green urban planning, and advocating for stricter controls on construction and industrial emissions can help lower overall particulate pollution. Ventilation: Open windows only when outdoor air quality is good; close windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode when it’s not. Air quality awareness: Download a free air quality app; knowing what’s in the air we breathe empowers people to make choices during poor air quality events. Community action: Less than 1% of global ground-based air quality monitoring stations producing data for the 2024 World Air Quality Report were in West Asia. A combination of indoor and outdoor air quality monitors helps comprehensively inform residents about poor air quality conditions, while outdoor air quality monitors raise air quality awareness across communities. Air filtration: Use high-performance, medical-grade air purifiers on poor air quality days, especially in bedrooms and living areas. Personal protection: Wear a protective KN95/FFP2 mask when it’s necessary to be outdoors on poor air quality days. The takeaway Winter dust on the Arabian Peninsula is a persistent, underrecognized threat. While natural factors play a role, human activities and regional policies heavily influence the severity and duration of dust events. People can protect themselves with smart ventilation practices, high-performance air filtration, and staying informed about daily conditions. Governments and communities can help reduce dust exposure through green-belt development, emissions controls, and expanded air monitoring networks.","

Global hubs like Doha, Qatar, Dubai, UAE, Kuwait City, Kuwait, Manama, and Bahrain, lie on the coastal area of the Arabian Peninsula and are home to millions of residents and expatriates. These cities regularly rank among the most polluted major cities in the world due to persistently high dust concentrations, even in winter. This makes air quality a year-round public health priority.

While dust storms are usually associated with scorching summer temperatures, winter brings its own air quality health concerns. Winter dust and sand can pose an equally serious threat to human health on the Arabian Peninsula for some surprising reasons.

Contrary to what many expect, cooler winter weather doesn’t bring cleaner air or less air pollution to the Arabian Peninsula.

\nThe winter dust paradox

A combination of meteorological and human factors ensures the persistence of dust through the Arabian Peninsula’s winter months.

Strong seasonal winds, like the northwesterly “shamal,” carry fine particles from the deserts of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Iran into Arabian Peninsula communities (1). Although dry, hot shamals are typically associated with the summer, they can occur in winter as well. And while dust storms are less common than in summer, they can still trigger flight cancellations and school closures (2).

\n $\"\"$ Air quality in the “Unhealthy” to “Very Unhealthy” ranges in Kuwait City, Kuwait on December 11, 2025, 1:18 PM PT. Source: IQAir.
\n

In addition to these wind-driven events, other natural and human sources add to the region’s burden. Salt blown in from the sea, rapid-paced construction, and vehicle and petrochemical industrial emissions all contribute to wintertime pollution (3).

As a result, the largest cities on the Arabian Peninsula routinely exceed the WHO guideline for PM2.5 of 5 μg/m3 or less, even in winter. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were among the top 25 most polluted cities in 2024, in part due to the consistently poor air quality throughout the year. Another regional nation, Iran, was absent from the report due to a lack of air quality monitoring data.

Unlike in the summer, winter dust can be more insidious. Outside of shamal events, weaker winds and temperature inversions—when a layer of warm air sits above cooler air near the surface—can trap pollutants close to the ground (4). This keeps dust and other pollutants lingering for longer periods.

Where does the dust come from?
\n

The region’s dust has both natural and human-caused origins. Natural sources include the vast deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia, while human activities—construction, vehicle emissions, and industrial operations—intensify the problem.

Transboundary dust transport poses a significant health challenge on the Arabian Peninsula.

Transboundary dust transport poses a significant health challenge on the Arabian Peninsula, with winds carrying particles from as far as North Africa and the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Satellite imagery and dust modeling confirm that dust events are frequent in winter, with major plumes blown across the sea from Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia (5)(6).

For example, on December 11, 2025, high concentrations of dust and sand flowed into the area from the Rubʿ al-Khali on the Arabian Peninsula, while some dust from Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia was carried south into the region (7). Consequently, air quality in Dubai was “moderate” to “unhealthy” several times throughout the day.

$\"\"$ Historic air quality graph of Dubai, UAE on December 11, 2025. Source: IQAir.

$\"\"$ Air quality in the “Moderate” to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” ranges in Dubai, UAE on December 11, 2025, 1:18 PM PT. Source: IQAir.

Health risks of Arabian Peninsula regional dust
\n

Exposure to dust, especially fine particles like PM2.5, is linked to a range of health issues. These include respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as cardiovascular problems that can contribute to heart attacks and strokes.

This is because when inhaled, tiny particles can enter the blood stream and eventually reach every organ in the body.

Even prolonged exposure to PM10 – larger particulate matter measuring 10 microns in diameter or less – can lead to serious health complications.

\nStudies show that dust storms in the region increase hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.\n

Studies show that dust storms in the region increase hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions (8)(9). Going inside to avoid the dust isn’t always a refuge; without proper ventilation and filtration, dust penetrates homes and workplaces, maintaining high exposure levels.

Protect yourself from dust

There are many ways people in the region can protect themselves from dust.

\nSource control: While sandstorms are driven by geography and weather and cannot be prevented, human-made pollution sources can be reduced. Limiting vehicle idling, supporting green urban planning, and advocating for stricter controls on construction and industrial emissions can help lower overall particulate pollution.

\nVentilation: Open windows only when outdoor air quality is good; close windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode when it’s not.

\nAir quality awareness: Download a free air quality app; knowing what’s in the air we breathe empowers people to make choices during poor air quality events.

\nCommunity action: Less than 1% of global ground-based air quality monitoring stations producing data for the 2024 World Air Quality Report were in West Asia. A combination of indoor and outdoor air quality monitors helps comprehensively inform residents about poor air quality conditions, while outdoor air quality monitors raise air quality awareness across communities.

\nAir filtration: Use high-performance, medical-grade air purifiers on poor air quality days, especially in bedrooms and living areas.

\nPersonal protection: Wear a protective KN95/FFP2 mask when it’s necessary to be outdoors on poor air quality days.

The takeaway

Winter dust on the Arabian Peninsula is a persistent, underrecognized threat. While natural factors play a role, human activities and regional policies heavily influence the severity and duration of dust events.

People can protect themselves with smart ventilation practices, high-performance air filtration, and staying informed about daily conditions. Governments and communities can help reduce dust exposure through green-belt development, emissions controls, and expanded air monitoring networks.

","persian-gulf-winter-air-quality-why-dust-does-not-disappear","gid://shopify/Article/1000137720182","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/persian-gulf-winter-air-quality-why-dust-does-not-disappear","2026-01-12T13:00:01Z",[390,653],"Winter air quality in the Arabian Peninsula: Why dust doesn’t disappear",{"_10":1200,"_243":-5,"_246":1201,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412019949942","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/PersianGulf-D_164b8835-6bcd-4383-af01-9dd008673cef.jpg?v=1769615118",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1203,"_1115":1204,"_1131":1205,"_1133":1205,"_1135":1206,"_1137":1207,"_985":1208,"_10":1209,"_1141":1210,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1211,"_577":1212,"_541":1213,"_1148":1214},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Particulate Matter (PM) are particles measuring 2.5 microns or less. Learn more.","What is PM2.5? Particulate matter, or PM, refers to particles found in the air, including dust, soot, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets. PM2.5 particles measure 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM2.5 particles are so small they can only be seen with an electron microscope. Of all air pollution measures, PM2.5 pollution poses the greatest health threat (1). Due to its small size, PM2.5 can remain suspended in the air for days or weeks, traveling across cities, regions, and even continents and can be absorbed deep into the bloodstream upon inhalation. Globally and in IQAir’s AQI⁺, PM2.5 and ozone stand out as the most common primary air pollutants. That’s why monitoring these two pollutants is particularly critical for human health. Why is PM2.5 often the primary pollutant? PM2.5 is the most common primary pollutant in air quality reports because it is exceptionally small, persistent, and widespread. It originates from nearly all major pollution sources—vehicles, industrial emissions, wildfires, agricultural burning, and household activities—making it a universal marker of poor air quality. Its microscopic size allows PM2.5 to penetrate buildings and reach deep into the lungs and bloodstream, posing both immediate and long-term health risks. As a result, it frequently appears as the “main pollutant” in AQI reports, since it is more likely than others to exceed safety thresholds and impact large populations. Because PM2.5 is so central to how air quality is reported and understood, it’s helpful to understand the air quality indexes that communicate these pollution levels. What is AQI? An air quality index, or AQI, is used to help quickly communicate air quality levels, with categories ranging from “Good” to “Hazardous.” Traditional U.S. AQI calculations rely on 24-hour averages for pollutants like PM2.5. IQAir’s AQI⁺ provides users with hourly air quality updates. Because PM2.5 levels can change rapidly throughout the day, hourly updates offer a more accurate, real-time picture of exposure. What are the sources of PM2.5 pollution? Particulate matter can be either emitted directly from manmade or natural sources, with manmade sources generally resulting in greater amount of PM2.5 (2). Some of the most common manmade sources of pollutant PM2.5 are (3) (4) (5): Motor combustion Power plant combustion Industrial processes Stoves, fireplaces, and home wood burning Smoke from fireworks Smoking Natural sources of PM2.5 can include: Dust Soot Dirt Windblown salt Plant spores Pollen Smoke from wildfires The dominant sources of PM2.5 air quality can vary depending on the season, weather, climate, level of urbanization, country, and region. A 1994 study in Atmospheric Environment looked at PM2.5 sources in the United States, determining that biomass burnings were the highest contributors to PM2.5 pollution in the Northwest, while residual oil combustion was the dominant source in the Northeast and in major seaport cities (6). Sources of pollutants can include emissions from neighboring countries. A 2019 study of source contributions in Canada published in Environmental Science and Technology found that 33 percent of Central Canada’s pollutant PM2.5 originated in the U.S. (7). The same study uncovered that residential combustion was the primary source of PM2.5 in Central Canada, while wildfires were the responsible sources for PM2.5 pollution in Northern, Atlantic, and Western Canada. What are the chemical components of PM2.5? PM2.5 can be created by other pollutants chemically reacting in the atmosphere. Chemical reaction between gases can be sources of PM2.5 pollutants, including reactions between (8): Sulfur dioxide Nitrogen oxides Ammonia Black carbon Mineral dust Water Volatile organic compounds How does PM2.5 pollution affect our health? PM 2.5’s microscopic size increases its potential to be lodged deep into the respiratory tracts. At 2.5 microns, PM2.5 can enter the circulatory system and even the brain (9). Short term symptoms of exposure to high levels of particulate matter include irritation of the throat and airways, coughing, and difficulty breathing (10). More serious, long-term complications can include: Heart and lung disease Bronchitis Emphysema Nonfatal heart attacks Irregular heartbeat Asthma and more intense flareups Decreased lung function Early death People with heart or lung diseases, children, and older adults are most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure. Numerous studies have confirmed a multitude of serious health complications caused by exposure to pollutant PM2.5. For example, a 2011 study published in The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine tracked 1.2 million Americans from 1982 until 2008 (11). Each 10 microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 concentrations was associated with a 15-27% increase in lung cancer mortality. PM2.5 pollution has been tied to increased risk of asthma in young children in Denmark, according to a 2020 study published in the British Medical Journal(12). All children born between 1997 and 2014 were followed for asthma onset and persistent wheezing from age 1 to 15. The study found that children exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 were more likely to develop asthma and persistent wheezing than children who weren’t exposed. Is there a difference between PM2.5 and PM10? PM10 and PM2.5 are both forms of pollutants that are different sizes. PM2.5 particles are fine and PM10 is larger and coarser. PM10 particles are between 2.5 and 10 micrograms. Our bodies can more easily defend against PM10 by sneezing or coughing. Those defenses don’t work with smaller particles (13). PM10 can embed within the lungs where they are associated with adverse health impacts, such as lung tissue damage and asthma. However, PM10 isn’t as likely to enter the blood stream as PM2.5 due to its size (14). What are the environmental effects of PM2.5 air quality? PM2.5 causes environmental harm in several ways, such as (15): Damage of materials and buildings Acid deposition Increased ozone levels PM2.5 pollution can travel long distances through strong winds, up to hundreds of thousands of miles from their source (16). PM2.5 can be carried to coastal waters and river basins, where they change the nutrient balance. When particle pollution settles on crops and forests, it can damage the vegetation. What can be done about PM2.5 pollution? People with concerns about PM2.5 in their environment can advocate for clean air legislation and for low-emission zones. Reducing PM2.5 and PM10 air pollution is a priority for most countries. India joined the United Nation’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition in 2019 with the goal of reducing national particulate pollution by 20 to 30 percent by 2024. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Programme to meet those goals (17). People can help limit particulate matter emissions in their own lives. Actions that can be taken include (18): Drive less frequently Slow mold growth by controlling humidity Use a mop, damp cloth, and HEPA vacuum for cleaning Never smoke indoors Burn candles and incense less often Improve electricity and fuel efficiency Limit wood or trash burning Don’t use outdoor wood boilers Your vehicle should never idle in attached garages or near doors and windows Generators and barbecues should never be run indoors or inside attached garages Run a room air purifier to clean the air and remove PM2.5 Install a whole-house air purifier to eliminate PM2.5 from your home Facilities can install high-efficiency HVAC unit air filters in schools and commercial buildings Monitor your indoor and outdoor air quality Can PM2.5 affect indoor air quality? Outdoor sources of pollutant PM2.5 can impact indoor environments by entering through leaks in windows and doors as well as spaces within generally “leaky” buildings (19). An airtight home can’t protect against indoor sources of PM2.5, such as (20): Cooking with wood Candles Incense burners Fireplaces Stoves Smoking Even household cleaners and air fresheners can create gaseous pollutants through chemical reactions, resulting in PM2.5 pollution indoors. What other air pollutants threaten your air quality? There are many forms of pollutants apart from PM10 and PM2.5. Common pollutants across the globe include: Ammonia Asbestos Benzene Black carbon Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Lead Nitrogen dioxide Ozone Sulfur dioxide Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) There are six criteria air pollutants regulated in the United States (21): Carbon monoxide Lead Nitrogen oxides Ground-level ozone Particulate matter (including PM10 and PM2.5) Sulfur dioxides The criteria were set by the Clean Air Act, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determines standards for the criteria. The listed pollutants were selected in part because they’re commonly found across the U.S. There are two types of criteria: Primary: Standards focused on human health and safety Secondary: Standards focused on indirect harm to the environment and human well-being Though regulations have helped keep air pollution in check and improve quality of life, there are still significant pollutants harming humanity’s health and financial well-being.","

What is PM2.5?

Particulate matter, or PM, refers to particles found in the air, including dust, soot, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets.

PM2.5 particles measure 2.5 microns or less in diameter. PM2.5 particles are so small they can only be seen with an electron microscope.

Of all air pollution measures, PM2.5 pollution poses the greatest health threat (1). Due to its small size, PM2.5 can remain suspended in the air for days or weeks, traveling across cities, regions, and even continents and can be absorbed deep into the bloodstream upon inhalation.

Globally and in IQAir’s AQI⁺, PM2.5 and ozone stand out as the most common primary air pollutants. That’s why monitoring these two pollutants is particularly critical for human health.

Why is PM2.5 often the primary pollutant?

PM2.5 is the most common primary pollutant in air quality reports because it is exceptionally small, persistent, and widespread. It originates from nearly all major pollution sources—vehicles, industrial emissions, wildfires, agricultural burning, and household activities—making it a universal marker of poor air quality.

Its microscopic size allows PM2.5 to penetrate buildings and reach deep into the lungs and bloodstream, posing both immediate and long-term health risks. As a result, it frequently appears as the “main pollutant” in AQI reports, since it is more likely than others to exceed safety thresholds and impact large populations.

Because PM2.5 is so central to how air quality is reported and understood, it’s helpful to understand the air quality indexes that communicate these pollution levels.

What is AQI?

An air quality index, or AQI, is used to help quickly communicate air quality levels, with categories ranging from “Good” to “Hazardous.” Traditional U.S. AQI calculations rely on 24-hour averages for pollutants like PM2.5. IQAir’s AQI⁺ provides users with hourly air quality updates. Because PM2.5 levels can change rapidly throughout the day, hourly updates offer a more accurate, real-time picture of exposure.

What are the sources of PM2.5 pollution?

Particulate matter can be either emitted directly from manmade or natural sources, with manmade sources generally resulting in greater amount of PM2.5 (2).

Some of the most common manmade sources of pollutant PM2.5 are (3) (4) (5):

Motor combustion
Power plant combustion
Industrial processes
Stoves, fireplaces, and home wood burning
Smoke from fireworks
Smoking

Natural sources of PM2.5 can include:

Dust
Soot
Dirt
Windblown salt
Plant spores
Pollen
Smoke from wildfires

The dominant sources of PM2.5 air quality can vary depending on the season, weather, climate, level of urbanization, country, and region.

A 1994 study in Atmospheric Environment looked at PM2.5 sources in the United States, determining that biomass burnings were the highest contributors to PM2.5 pollution in the Northwest, while residual oil combustion was the dominant source in the Northeast and in major seaport cities (6).

Sources of pollutants can include emissions from neighboring countries. A 2019 study of source contributions in Canada published in Environmental Science and Technology found that 33 percent of Central Canada’s pollutant PM2.5 originated in the U.S. (7).

The same study uncovered that residential combustion was the primary source of PM2.5 in Central Canada, while wildfires were the responsible sources for PM2.5 pollution in Northern, Atlantic, and Western Canada.

What are the chemical components of PM2.5?

PM2.5 can be created by other pollutants chemically reacting in the atmosphere.

Chemical reaction between gases can be sources of PM2.5 pollutants, including reactions between (8):

Sulfur dioxide
Nitrogen oxides
Ammonia
Black carbon
Mineral dust
Water
Volatile organic compounds

How does PM2.5 pollution affect our health?

PM 2.5’s microscopic size increases its potential to be lodged deep into the respiratory tracts. At 2.5 microns, PM2.5 can enter the circulatory system and even the brain (9).

Short term symptoms of exposure to high levels of particulate matter include irritation of the throat and airways, coughing, and difficulty breathing (10).

More serious, long-term complications can include:

Heart and lung disease
Bronchitis
Emphysema
Nonfatal heart attacks
Irregular heartbeat
Asthma and more intense flareups
Decreased lung function
Early death

People with heart or lung diseases, children, and older adults are most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure.

Numerous studies have confirmed a multitude of serious health complications caused by exposure to pollutant PM2.5.

For example, a 2011 study published in The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine tracked 1.2 million Americans from 1982 until 2008 (11). Each 10 microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 concentrations was associated with a 15-27% increase in lung cancer mortality.

PM2.5 pollution has been tied to increased risk of asthma in young children in Denmark, according to a 2020 study published in the British Medical Journal(12). All children born between 1997 and 2014 were followed for asthma onset and persistent wheezing from age 1 to 15. The study found that children exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 were more likely to develop asthma and persistent wheezing than children who weren’t exposed.

Is there a difference between PM2.5 and PM10?

PM10 and PM2.5 are both forms of pollutants that are different sizes. PM2.5 particles are fine and PM10 is larger and coarser. PM10 particles are between 2.5 and 10 micrograms.

Our bodies can more easily defend against PM10 by sneezing or coughing. Those defenses don’t work with smaller particles (13).

PM10 can embed within the lungs where they are associated with adverse health impacts, such as lung tissue damage and asthma. However, PM10 isn’t as likely to enter the blood stream as PM2.5 due to its size (14).

What are the environmental effects of PM2.5 air quality?

PM2.5 causes environmental harm in several ways, such as (15):

Damage of materials and buildings
Acid deposition
Increased ozone levels

PM2.5 pollution can travel long distances through strong winds, up to hundreds of thousands of miles from their source (16). PM2.5 can be carried to coastal waters and river basins, where they change the nutrient balance. When particle pollution settles on crops and forests, it can damage the vegetation.

What can be done about PM2.5 pollution?

People with concerns about PM2.5 in their environment can advocate for clean air legislation and for low-emission zones.

Reducing PM2.5 and PM10 air pollution is a priority for most countries. India joined the United Nation’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition in 2019 with the goal of reducing national particulate pollution by 20 to 30 percent by 2024. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Programme to meet those goals (17).

People can help limit particulate matter emissions in their own lives. Actions that can be taken include (18):

Drive less frequently
Slow mold growth by controlling humidity
Use a mop, damp cloth, and HEPA vacuum for cleaning
Never smoke indoors
Burn candles and incense less often
Improve electricity and fuel efficiency
Limit wood or trash burning
Don’t use outdoor wood boilers
Your vehicle should never idle in attached garages or near doors and windows
Generators and barbecues should never be run indoors or inside attached garages
Run a room air purifier to clean the air and remove PM2.5
Install a whole-house air purifier to eliminate PM2.5 from your home
Facilities can install high-efficiency HVAC unit air filters in schools and commercial buildings\n
Monitor your indoor and outdoor air quality

Can PM2.5 affect indoor air quality?

Outdoor sources of pollutant PM2.5 can impact indoor environments by entering through leaks in windows and doors as well as spaces within generally “leaky” buildings (19).

An airtight home can’t protect against indoor sources of PM2.5, such as (20):

Cooking with wood
Candles
Incense burners
Fireplaces
Stoves
Smoking

Even household cleaners and air fresheners can create gaseous pollutants through chemical reactions, resulting in PM2.5 pollution indoors.

What other air pollutants threaten your air quality?

There are many forms of pollutants apart from PM10 and PM2.5. Common pollutants across the globe include:

There are six criteria air pollutants regulated in the United States (21):

Carbon monoxide
Lead
Nitrogen oxides
Ground-level ozone
Particulate matter (including PM10 and PM2.5)
Sulfur dioxides

The criteria were set by the Clean Air Act, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determines standards for the criteria. The listed pollutants were selected in part because they’re commonly found across the U.S.

There are two types of criteria:

Primary: Standards focused on human health and safety
Secondary: Standards focused on indirect harm to the environment and human well-being

Though regulations have helped keep air pollution in check and improve quality of life, there are still significant pollutants harming humanity’s health and financial well-being.

","pm2-5","gid://shopify/Article/606887051563","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/pm2-5","2025-12-30T04:00:00Z",[653,658],"PM2.5",{"_10":1215,"_243":1216,"_246":1217,"_248":1218,"_244":1219},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/411823636854","Hazy skies over city landscape","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/pexels-photo-15693327_cropped_d1358299-206e-4f8a-9ae9-887f27a69a6b.webp?v=1769010319",2879,1550,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1221,"_1115":1222,"_1131":1223,"_1133":1224,"_1135":1225,"_1137":1226,"_985":1227,"_10":1228,"_1141":1229,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1230,"_577":1231,"_541":1232,"_1148":1233},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Air pollution takes a terrible toll on human life every year. Learn more.","

Air pollution takes a terrible toll on human life every year. Learn more.

","Air pollution is linked to nearly 7 million premature deaths worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (1)(2). Most of these deaths – 89% - take place in low- to middle-income countries, largely in WHO-designated South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions. Those regions countries that have been among the thirty most polluted countries in the world., including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam. According to the WHO, half of the deaths caused by air pollution in 2020 were linked to indoor sources such as cooking over coal, wood or biomass stoves (3). The majority of people impacted were women and children, including more than 237,000 children under age 5. Air pollution is now the world’s greatest single environmental risk. Air pollution is now the world’s greatest single environmental risk (4) . The most common and dangerous pollutant is PM2.5, particulate matter measuring under 2.5 microns in diameter. PM2.5 is linked to both heart and lung disease. Examples from history The “Great Smog of London” is an example of the impact of air pollution on premature death rates. During a single weekend in 1952, pollution from coal-burning fireplaces was trapped over the city during a cold-weather inversion. The pollution exposure during that one single weekend caused more than 12,000 premature deaths and according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, there was a significant increase in adult and childhood asthma cases following the event (5)(6). In ancient times, air quality was also a cause of premature death. Researchers from the University of Manchester (U.K.) studied 15 lungs from ancient Egyptian mummies. They found high levels of particulates and lung scarring in all of them (7). The source of the particulates is believed to have been sandstorms and burning fossil fuels. Air pollution and premature death today More than 3,500 years later, air pollution is still a growing cause of premature death in many parts of the world. . Today, outdoor PM2.5 sources include vehicle emissions, power plant emissions, industrial processes, agricultural burning, and wildfire smoke. Indoor PM2.5 sources may include fuel-burning appliances and home heating. For far too many people, regularly breathing polluted air poses a significant health risk. A study published in Lancet Planetary Health found that in India, deaths increased by 1.5 million people per year due to long-term exposure to air pollution (8). In South Asia, pollution levels routinely exceed “hazardous” air quality levels in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India across multiple years. Why is air pollution so dangerous? There are at least four specific ways air pollution contributes to premature death rates: Heart Disease. A study published at the University of California, Berkeley, linked air pollution exposure to premature death from ischemic heart disease, which is reduced blood supply to the heart (9). Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the U.S. (10) Cancer. Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer in 2022, accounting for 1.8 million deaths (11). The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified particulate pollution as carcinogenic (12). Asthma. Air pollution is a major cause of asthma attacks. Asthma affected around 262 million people around the globe in 2019 and led to an estimated 455,000 deaths (13). COPD. Air pollution is a leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The two most common forms of the disease are emphysema and bronchitis. An estimated 43% of global COPD deaths have been attributed to air pollution (14). Take action against air pollution The most important strategy for controlling air pollution and improving air quality is to reduce the sources of air pollution – especially pollution from traffic and power generation. Here are a few suggested steps you can take, to control air pollution at the source, measure air quality and know when it’s poor, and maintain a healthy lifestyle on those poor air quality days: On the road: Walk or ride a bike whenever possible. Take public transportation and advocate for increased access to clean energy public transportation in your community. When purchasing a new car, choose a low-polluting or zero-emission vehicle. Wear a FFP2 mask when outdoor air quality is poor. Keep your vehicle’s cabin healthy with a compact vehicle air purifier. At home: Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent light bulbs and look for energy-efficient appliances when replacing older appliances. Use clean cookstoves and reduce dependence on both gas burning stoves and gas-powered appliances (15).Avoid burning candles and incense by choosing cleaner air freshening options. Use a programmable thermostat and set it to 78 degrees in summer and 68 degrees in winter. Download a free air quality app to know the air quality in your neighborhood. Monitor your air quality both indoor and outdoors. Improve ventilation by opening windows when indoor air quality is poor and by closing them when outdoor air quality conditions degrade. Set to HVAC to recirculate mode when outdoor air quality is poor.Run a high-performance air purifier to maintain clean indoor air. At work: Join a carpool. Telecommute. Open the blinds and turn off the lights whenever possible. Become a Clean Air Facility to comprehensively improve your workplace’s air quality. Conclusion Air pollution kills nearly 7 million people yearly, mostly in poorer nations, due to heart disease, cancer, and lung illnesses. Indoor pollution from cooking with dirty fuels and outdoor smog cut lives short by years. Yet controlling source pollutants, improving indoor ventilation, and filtration can all provide clean air solutions. From London’s 1952 smog to today’s global crisis, the pattern is clear: strong action saves lives. Switching to clean transport, cookstoves, and renewable energy can slash deaths and add years to life expectancy—but only if we act now.","

Air pollution is linked to nearly 7 million premature deaths worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (1)(2).

Most of these deaths – 89% - take place in low- to middle-income countries, largely in WHO-designated South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions. Those regions countries that have been among the thirty most polluted countries in the world., including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

According to the WHO, half of the deaths caused by air pollution in 2020 were linked to indoor sources such as cooking over coal, wood or biomass stoves (3). The majority of people impacted were women and children, including more than 237,000 children under age 5.

Air pollution is now the world’s greatest single environmental risk.

Air pollution is now the world’s greatest single environmental risk (4) . The most common and dangerous pollutant is PM2.5, particulate matter measuring under 2.5 microns in diameter. PM2.5 is linked to both heart and lung disease.

Examples from history

The “Great Smog of London” is an example of the impact of air pollution on premature death rates. During a single weekend in 1952, pollution from coal-burning fireplaces was trapped over the city during a cold-weather inversion. The pollution exposure during that one single weekend caused more than 12,000 premature deaths and according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, there was a significant increase in adult and childhood asthma cases following the event (5)(6).

In ancient times, air quality was also a cause of premature death. Researchers from the University of Manchester (U.K.) studied 15 lungs from ancient Egyptian mummies. They found high levels of particulates and lung scarring in all of them (7). The source of the particulates is believed to have been sandstorms and burning fossil fuels.

Air pollution and premature death today

More than 3,500 years later, air pollution is still a growing cause of premature death in many parts of the world. . Today, outdoor PM2.5 sources include vehicle emissions, power plant emissions, industrial processes, agricultural burning, and wildfire smoke. Indoor PM2.5 sources may include fuel-burning appliances and home heating.

For far too many people, regularly breathing polluted air poses a significant health risk. A study published in Lancet Planetary Health found that in India, deaths increased by 1.5 million people per year due to long-term exposure to air pollution (8). In South Asia, pollution levels routinely exceed “hazardous” air quality levels in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India across multiple years.

Why is air pollution so dangerous?

There are at least four specific ways air pollution contributes to premature death rates:

Heart Disease. A study published at the University of California, Berkeley, linked air pollution exposure to premature death from ischemic heart disease, which is reduced blood supply to the heart (9). Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the U.S. (10)

Cancer. Lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer in 2022, accounting for 1.8 million deaths (11). The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified particulate pollution as carcinogenic (12).

Asthma. Air pollution is a major cause of asthma attacks. Asthma affected around 262 million people around the globe in 2019 and led to an estimated 455,000 deaths (13).

COPD. Air pollution is a leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The two most common forms of the disease are emphysema and bronchitis. An estimated 43% of global COPD deaths have been attributed to air pollution (14).

Take action against air pollution

The most important strategy for controlling air pollution and improving air quality is to reduce the sources of air pollution – especially pollution from traffic and power generation.

Here are a few suggested steps you can take, to control air pollution at the source, measure air quality and know when it’s poor, and maintain a healthy lifestyle on those poor air quality days:

On the road:

Walk or ride a bike whenever possible.
\n
Take public transportation and advocate for increased access to clean energy public transportation in your community.
\n
When purchasing a new car, choose a low-polluting or zero-emission vehicle.
\n
Wear a FFP2 mask when outdoor air quality is poor.
\n
Keep your vehicle’s cabin healthy with a compact vehicle air purifier.
\n

At home:

Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
\n
Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent light bulbs and look for energy-efficient appliances when replacing older appliances.
\n
Use clean cookstoves and reduce dependence on both gas burning stoves and gas-powered appliances (15).Avoid burning candles and incense by choosing cleaner air freshening options.
\n
Use a programmable thermostat and set it to 78 degrees in summer and 68 degrees in winter.
\n
\nDownload a free air quality app to know the air quality in your neighborhood.
\n
\nMonitor your air quality both indoor and outdoors.
\n
Improve ventilation by opening windows when indoor air quality is poor and by closing them when outdoor air quality conditions degrade.
\n
Set to HVAC to recirculate mode when outdoor air quality is poor.
Run a high-performance air purifier to maintain clean indoor air.
\n

At work:

Join a carpool.
\n
Telecommute.
\n
Open the blinds and turn off the lights whenever possible.
\n
\nBecome a Clean Air Facility to comprehensively improve your workplace’s air quality.
\n

Conclusion

Air pollution kills nearly 7 million people yearly, mostly in poorer nations, due to heart disease, cancer, and lung illnesses. Indoor pollution from cooking with dirty fuels and outdoor smog cut lives short by years. Yet controlling source pollutants, improving indoor ventilation, and filtration can all provide clean air solutions.

From London’s 1952 smog to today’s global crisis, the pattern is clear: strong action saves lives. Switching to clean transport, cookstoves, and renewable energy can slash deaths and add years to life expectancy—but only if we act now.

","air-pollution-kills-7-million-every-year","gid://shopify/Article/606876303659","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/air-pollution-kills-7-million-every-year","2025-12-15T04:00:00Z",[390,653],"Air pollution kills 7 million every year",{"_10":1234,"_243":-5,"_246":1235,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/411792933238","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_Air_pollutionkills_Desk_62e29d80-b628-47cb-ac27-d48a0fcb8ab3.jpg?v=1768924082",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1237,"_1115":1238,"_1131":1239,"_1133":1239,"_1135":1240,"_1137":1241,"_985":1242,"_10":1243,"_1141":1244,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1245,"_577":1246,"_541":1249,"_1148":1250},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Christmas Tree Syndrome is an allergic reaction to mold on live, indoor Christmas trees. Learn more.","Christmas trees help set the holiday mood with twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, and the scent of pine. Christmas tree production is a global business; in 2021 there were 1,364 Christmas tree farms in Canada and 3,350 such farms in Germany (1)(2). In America, people buy approximately 25-30 million live Christmas trees each year to decorate their homes for the holidays (3). About 85% of those trees will be pre-cut weeks ahead of time – in most cases prior to when Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. The trees are cut, baled, and packed into refrigerated trucks to be delivered to a tree seller near your home. Moisture and the tight bundling of the trees supports an ideal environment for mold to grow. Unfortunately, along the way, moisture and the tight bundling of the trees supports an ideal environment for mold to grow. In many cases, once the tree gets into your home the mold on the tree begins reproducing, triggering an allergic reaction known as “Christmas tree syndrome.” According to the National Asthma Council of Australia, about 6% of the general population with allergies suffers from Christmas tree allergy symptoms that include (4): sneezing coughing congestion runny nose itchy nose and throat itchy or watery eyes dry, scaly skin Do you have a Christmas tree allergy? If you find yourself sneezing, coughing, or experiencing itchy eyes and throat soon after setting up your tree, then yes – you might have a Christmas tree allergy. This condition is often triggered by mold spores or pollen that the tree carries into your home. While pine pollen itself may not be a major concern during winter, other allergens such as ragweed or grass pollen, and even mold, can hitch a ride on your tree, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Christmas trees and mold In one study, researchers closely measured mold counts in a room that contained a live Christmas tree. During the first three days that the tree was indoors, the count of mold spores in the air remained at about 800 spores per cubic meter of air. Starting on the fourth day, however, the spore counts began rising and eventually reached 5,000 mold spores in the air per cubic meter within two weeks (5). Counts higher than 700 spores per cubic meter are an indication that mold growth is occurring in an environment. Researchers examining 23 samples of bark and pine needles from Christmas trees found 53 different kinds of mold. In another study, researchers examining 23 samples of bark and pine needles from Christmas trees found 53 different kinds of mold. Many of the mold varieties found on the trees were those most likely to trigger allergies – including (6): Aspergillus. This type of mold is especially dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems. Penicillium. The mold from which penicillin is made, it causes allergic reactions in some people. Cladosporium. A common mold that can cause skin infections and allergic symptoms. The World Health Organization considers indoor concentrations greater than 500 spores per cubic meter to be unacceptable. Although there is no single set of state or federal standards regarding acceptable indoor mold spore levels, the World Health Organization considers indoor concentrations greater than 500 spores per cubic meter to be unacceptable. At the very least, the elevated mold spore levels associated with live Christmas trees means that families with allergies should consider keeping a live tree indoors no more than a few days, especially if there are signs of increased allergies, which might be from Christmas tree syndrome. Pollen can also be a problem Pine pollen is not a major issue with Christmas tree allergy symptoms, because evergreen plants pollinate in the spring, not in early winter. However, the trees come into contact with allergens such as ragweed pollen and may carry it into the house where it can distress those with ragweed allergies. Ragweed is an invasive species of the Asteraceae family and Ambrosia genus of plants (7). Ragweed is not a single plant but a collection of between 17 and 20 different species in North America that typically have tall, skinny stems with green flower spikes that do not contain nectar and are not attractive to pollinators. Ragweed plants are prodigious producers of pollen – one plant can release up to one billion grains into the atmosphere – which can then travel hundreds of miles. Instead, ragweed pollen distribution is facilitated by the wind. And ragweed plants are prodigious producers of pollen – one plant can release up to one billion grains into the atmosphere – which can then travel hundreds of miles, though most of the pollen remains close to the plants that produced it (8). These plants are more prevalent in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S., particularly in rural areas. There, common sites for ragweed invasions are in fields and along roadsides and riverbanks. In urban areas, the plants often flourish in vacant lots since turfgrass and other cultivated species help prevent ragweed from taking hold. Seeds from ragweed species can remain dormant in the ground for decades before finally germinating. And ragweed is not the only member from this family of plants that can latch on to Christmas trees. Other members include: sage rabbit brush groundsel bush burweed marsh elder mugwort eupatorium Another allergen that a Christmas tree can be the source of in your house is grass pollen, which can stick to the tree’s sap during the spring. Then, when the tree is harvested and brought indoors, the sap dries out and the trapped pollen particles are released into the air. How do you prevent Christmas tree allergy? If you still cherish the idea of a live Christmas tree in your home for the holidays, take heart. You don’t have to suffer a Christmas tree rash. Here are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you or someone in your home will suffer from Christmas tree syndrome: Clean and wipe the trunk of your tree thoroughly with water and bleach before you bring it into the house. Use a leaf blower to remove as many pollen grains as possible before bringing the tree indoors. Get rid of the tree sooner. Mold spores increase the longer the tree is around. Consider removing the tree from your home the day after Christmas. Consider purchasing a self-cut tree. By cutting your tree yourself you bypass the storage and transportation conditions that promote mold growth. Use a high-performance room air purifier in the same room as the tree. Personal air purifiers can also help relieve the uncomfortable consequences of an allergic reaction By taking a few simple precautions such as these, you can make your holiday season decorative, delightful and, best of all, allergy free. If all else fails, consider switching to an artificial tree. It won’t fill your living room with the nostalgic scent of pine, but as long as you rinse any dust off of it thoroughly and don’t store it in a damp or humid place where mold can grow, it won’t trigger Christmas tree allergy symptoms either.","

Christmas trees help set the holiday mood with twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, and the scent of pine. Christmas tree production is a global business; in 2021 there were 1,364 Christmas tree farms in Canada and 3,350 such farms in Germany (1)(2). In America, people buy approximately 25-30 million live Christmas trees each year to decorate their homes for the holidays (3). About 85% of those trees will be pre-cut weeks ahead of time – in most cases prior to when Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. The trees are cut, baled, and packed into refrigerated trucks to be delivered to a tree seller near your home.

Moisture and the tight bundling of the trees supports an ideal environment for mold to grow.

Unfortunately, along the way, moisture and the tight bundling of the trees supports an ideal environment for mold to grow. In many cases, once the tree gets into your home the mold on the tree begins reproducing, triggering an allergic reaction known as “Christmas tree syndrome.” According to the National Asthma Council of Australia, about 6% of the general population with allergies suffers from Christmas tree allergy symptoms that include (4):

sneezing
coughing
congestion
runny nose
itchy nose and throat
itchy or watery eyes
dry, scaly skin

Do you have a Christmas tree allergy?

If you find yourself sneezing, coughing, or experiencing itchy eyes and throat soon after setting up your tree, then yes – you might have a Christmas tree allergy.

This condition is often triggered by mold spores or pollen that the tree carries into your home. While pine pollen itself may not be a major concern during winter, other allergens such as ragweed or grass pollen, and even mold, can hitch a ride on your tree, leading to uncomfortable symptoms.

Christmas trees and mold

In one study, researchers closely measured mold counts in a room that contained a live Christmas tree. During the first three days that the tree was indoors, the count of mold spores in the air remained at about 800 spores per cubic meter of air. Starting on the fourth day, however, the spore counts began rising and eventually reached 5,000 mold spores in the air per cubic meter within two weeks (5). Counts higher than 700 spores per cubic meter are an indication that mold growth is occurring in an environment.

Researchers examining 23 samples of bark and pine needles from Christmas trees found 53 different kinds of mold.

In another study, researchers examining 23 samples of bark and pine needles from Christmas trees found 53 different kinds of mold. Many of the mold varieties found on the trees were those most likely to trigger allergies – including (6):

\nAspergillus. This type of mold is especially dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems.
\nPenicillium. The mold from which penicillin is made, it causes allergic reactions in some people.
\nCladosporium. A common mold that can cause skin infections and allergic symptoms.

The World Health Organization considers indoor concentrations greater than 500 spores per cubic meter to be unacceptable.

Although there is no single set of state or federal standards regarding acceptable indoor mold spore levels, the World Health Organization considers indoor concentrations greater than 500 spores per cubic meter to be unacceptable. At the very least, the elevated mold spore levels associated with live Christmas trees means that families with allergies should consider keeping a live tree indoors no more than a few days, especially if there are signs of increased allergies, which might be from Christmas tree syndrome.

Pollen can also be a problem

Pine pollen is not a major issue with Christmas tree allergy symptoms, because evergreen plants pollinate in the spring, not in early winter. However, the trees come into contact with allergens such as ragweed pollen and may carry it into the house where it can distress those with ragweed allergies.

Ragweed is an invasive species of the Asteraceae family and Ambrosia genus of plants (7). Ragweed is not a single plant but a collection of between 17 and 20 different species in North America that typically have tall, skinny stems with green flower spikes that do not contain nectar and are not attractive to pollinators.

Ragweed plants are prodigious producers of pollen – one plant can release up to one billion grains into the atmosphere – which can then travel hundreds of miles.

Instead, ragweed pollen distribution is facilitated by the wind. And ragweed plants are prodigious producers of pollen – one plant can release up to one billion grains into the atmosphere – which can then travel hundreds of miles, though most of the pollen remains close to the plants that produced it (8).

These plants are more prevalent in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S., particularly in rural areas. There, common sites for ragweed invasions are in fields and along roadsides and riverbanks. In urban areas, the plants often flourish in vacant lots since turfgrass and other cultivated species help prevent ragweed from taking hold.

Seeds from ragweed species can remain dormant in the ground for decades before finally germinating.

And ragweed is not the only member from this family of plants that can latch on to Christmas trees. Other members include:

sage
rabbit brush
groundsel bush
burweed marsh elder
mugwort
eupatorium

Another allergen that a Christmas tree can be the source of in your house is grass pollen, which can stick to the tree’s sap during the spring. Then, when the tree is harvested and brought indoors, the sap dries out and the trapped pollen particles are released into the air.

How do you prevent Christmas tree allergy?

If you still cherish the idea of a live Christmas tree in your home for the holidays, take heart. You don’t have to suffer a Christmas tree rash.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you or someone in your home will suffer from Christmas tree syndrome:

\nClean and wipe the trunk of your tree thoroughly with water and bleach before you bring it into the house.
\nUse a leaf blower to remove as many pollen grains as possible before bringing the tree indoors.
\nGet rid of the tree sooner. Mold spores increase the longer the tree is around. Consider removing the tree from your home the day after Christmas.
\nConsider purchasing a self-cut tree. By cutting your tree yourself you bypass the storage and transportation conditions that promote mold growth.
\nUse a high-performance room air purifier in the same room as the tree.
\nPersonal air purifiers can also help relieve the uncomfortable consequences of an allergic reaction

By taking a few simple precautions such as these, you can make your holiday season decorative, delightful and, best of all, allergy free. If all else fails, consider switching to an artificial tree. It won’t fill your living room with the nostalgic scent of pine, but as long as you rinse any dust off of it thoroughly and don’t store it in a damp or humid place where mold can grow, it won’t trigger Christmas tree allergy symptoms either.

","how-avoid-christmas-tree-syndrome","gid://shopify/Article/606869520683","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/how-avoid-christmas-tree-syndrome","2025-12-08T00:00:00Z",[1247,653,1248],"Allergies and Asthma","Molds","How to avoid \"Christmas tree syndrome\"",{"_10":1251,"_243":1252,"_246":1253,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/411595374966","Woman coughing next to christmas tree","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/XmasSyndrome_Desktop_844d5c46-128f-4d8c-9bf0-337169293a9c.jpg?v=1768236395",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1255,"_1115":1256,"_1131":1257,"_1133":1257,"_1135":1258,"_1137":1259,"_985":1260,"_10":1261,"_1141":1262,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1263,"_577":1264,"_541":1265,"_1148":1266},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Show you care by giving your loved ones the gift of air purification this year. Learn more.","Give a truly meaningful gift that can provide long-lasting health benefits to loved ones. And what could be more beneficial than the gift of clean air? We have your ultimate holiday gift guide. You are sure to find some gift ideas that fit the bill. What gifts are trending in 2024? Wondering what the hot gifts are this year? Air quality gifts are increasingly popular in 2024, with air purifiers leading the trend. They’re highly sought after to capture airborne pollutants, allergens, and bacteria. HyperHEPA filtration systems help improve overall well-being, especially as studies have shown that 92% of people are exposed to unsafe levels of particulate matter (1). Is an air purifier a good gift? Given the fact that most of us are exposed to high levels of poor air quality every day, air purification is an essential component of modern, healthful living. Gifting your family and friends an air purifier shows how much you care. The quality of the air you breathe is linked to your immune system, mood, cognitive function, and even your lifespan. You take approximately 25,000 breaths a day – why not make every single breath as healthy as possible (2)? The quality of the air you breathe is linked to your immune system, mood, cognitive function, and even your lifespan. Air purifiers are one of the best gifts to give to not just friends and family members suffering from allergies, asthma, or any other respiratory-related affliction, but also anyone concerned about the air quality in their home, vehicle, or workplace. And since the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that 92% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits, virtually everyone should consider using an air purifier to protect themselves against indoor air pollution (3). Create a clean air haven For any building or indoor setting, IQAir’s advanced air filtration systems provide the ultimate solution – a gift that creates a clean air haven in the home. For any building or indoor setting, IQAir’s advanced air filtration systems provide the ultimate solution – a gift that creates a clean air haven in the home A high-efficiency home purifier or powerful, energy efficient air purifier will clean the air in home offices and larger spaces while people are working, studying, or in living and dining rooms while they gather. With sound-attenuating filters and double-walled housing, a home air purifier can even be quiet enough to clean the air at night while the family sleeps. For the kitchen, an optional gas and odour filter can capture cooking and cleaning odours. Another solution for direct, focused clean air is gifting a desk air purifier. Portable and able to be setup on any flat surface, desk air purifiers can deliver clean air to breathing spaces in nurseries, on bed stands, at desks, or from end tables. Road traffic is a major contributing source of nitrogen dioxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When the two pollutants combine, they can create ozone. Vehicle combustion also produces particle matter. If your loved one is always on the road, a portable car air purifier can help keep the air safe within their vehicle interior. Here’s why IQAir offers the best air purifiers and is your go-to solution for air-cleaning needs: HyperHEPA filtration technology is tested and certified by an independent third-party lab to effectively filter harmful ultrafine pollution particles down to 0.003 microns in size. For perspective, this is 100 times smaller than what is accomplished with conventional air filtration technology and 10 times smaller than a virus. Each system is individually tested at the factory and is certified to filter a minimum of 99.5% of all particles 0.003 microns or larger. Unlike other air purifiers, IQAir systems are designed to ensure that all the air goes completely through the filters and not around it like other leaky designs. If it doesn’t meet or exceed these performance standards, it doesn’t leave our factory — period. Unparalleled performance achieved through safe, healthy technology. IQAir air filtration solutions use only safe, proven, mechanical filtration technology, without generating dangerous ions, ozone, or UV. Swiss Made quality is at the very core of everything that IQAir does. By using the finest quality components, a specialized team of highly skilled technicians, and cutting-edge manufacturing processes refined for more than 60 years, IQAir builds the best air purifiers in the world. To sum it up: IQAir air-filtration systems are certified and proven to filter more, last longer, and work harder than other air purifiers on the market. They are the ultimate clean air gifts. Air quality monitors How can the people you care about most tell when airborne pollutants are in their environment? With an air quality monitor. Consider the world's smartest air quality monitors from IQAir’s AirVisual Series that precisely measures and records air quality indoors and outdoors, wherever you go. Advanced smart technology allows you to set up personalized air quality alerts as well as link AirVisual Series air quality monitors with your connected home technology to maximise clean air while minimising home HVAC costs. Great free gift idea: Air quality app A great free gift option is the AirVisual app, which provides real-time air quality data and forecast alerts worldwide. It’s a perfect gift for anyone looking to monitor air quality and take proactive steps to protect their health. The app delivers personalized air quality alerts and integrates with smart home systems, making it a useful tool for reducing pollution exposure. Gifting the AirVisual app offers friends and family an easy way to stay informed about air conditions and make healthier lifestyle choices. Personal protection for better air quality For those loved ones who spend extended periods of time outdoors when the air quality is poor, a gift of personal protection masks will be appreciated. The IQAir Mask promises to protect against the most dangerous airborne particulate matter. Multi-layer HyperHEPA media filtration is effective against 95% of particles, including those insidious, harmful ultrafine particles. An ergonomic, user-friendly design ensures that this all-day pollution protection is as comfortable as it is easy-to-use. The IQAir Mask is excellent for use by construction, utility, and sanitation workers, landscapers, emergency personnel, and all others whose jobs demand they continue to work outdoors even during times of hazardous air quality. Make sure gifts don’t decrease air quality It’s important to consider gifts that don't compromise air quality. For instance, avoid items that off-gas VOCs, such as certain plastics. Instead, choose toys and products made from natural materials like solid wood, and ensure any used paints, stains, or adhesives are low in VOCs (4). More natural gift choices not only provide safer alternatives but also contribute to maintaining a clean air environment. If at the top of your holiday gift guide for dad is a barbecue grill, choose one that uses propane or natural gas instead of charcoal. The gas models do release some pollutants, including carbon dioxide, into the air. But burning charcoal emits much more particulate matter and about twice the carbon dioxide. Using lighting fluid to help ignite charcoal adds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to those emissions (5). A holiday gift guide for mom could include a vacuum cleaner. If so, make sure you get her one that includes a true HEPA filter that can trap the dust, pet dander, pollen and other surface particles and don’t recirculate them back into the air like standard vacuums can. Scented candles are a lovely gift. Unfortunately, even when not lit, they can emit VOCs into the air. Better are essential oils (not fragrance oils that contain artificial ingredients) and containers of potpourri. Or you can put together your own little bags filled with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and other spices that gift recipients can simmer in water. In general, before buying a gift, consider how it will affect the air quality. If it will harm the air quality, we suggest looking for similar alternatives or avoiding them altogether. Give the gift of clean air to communities in need If you prefer to give back this holiday season, consider donating to clean air initiatives instead of traditional gifts. Contributions to the IQAir Foundation can help provide clean air solutions to underserved communities around the world and protect vulnerable populations from harmful air pollutants. Or instead of a present, you can ask your loved ones to make a donation on your behalf and support life-changing programs that monitor air quality, install air purifiers, and promote healthier living environments globally. Every donation helps create cleaner, healthier air for those who need it most. Conclusion If your holiday gift guide includes air purifiers and air quality monitoring technology this year, be sure to choose quality. An air purifier that’s properly maintained is an investment that can be appreciated and provide protection against airborne pollutants for many years after celebrations end.","

Give a truly meaningful gift that can provide long-lasting health benefits to loved ones. And what could be more beneficial than the gift of clean air?

We have your ultimate holiday gift guide. You are sure to find some gift ideas that fit the bill.

What gifts are trending in 2024?

Wondering what the hot gifts are this year? Air quality gifts are increasingly popular in 2024, with air purifiers leading the trend. They’re highly sought after to capture airborne pollutants, allergens, and bacteria.

HyperHEPA filtration systems help improve overall well-being, especially as studies have shown that 92% of people are exposed to unsafe levels of particulate matter (1).

Is an air purifier a good gift?

Given the fact that most of us are exposed to high levels of poor air quality every day, air purification is an essential component of modern, healthful living. Gifting your family and friends an air purifier shows how much you care.

The quality of the air you breathe is linked to your immune system, mood, cognitive function, and even your lifespan. You take approximately 25,000 breaths a day – why not make every single breath as healthy as possible (2)?

The quality of the air you breathe is linked to your immune system, mood, cognitive function, and even your lifespan.

Air purifiers are one of the best gifts to give to not just friends and family members suffering from allergies, asthma, or any other respiratory-related affliction, but also anyone concerned about the air quality in their home, vehicle, or workplace.

And since the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that 92% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits, virtually everyone should consider using an air purifier to protect themselves against indoor air pollution (3).

Create a clean air haven

For any building or indoor setting, IQAir’s advanced air filtration systems provide the ultimate solution – a gift that creates a clean air haven in the home.

For any building or indoor setting, IQAir’s advanced air filtration systems provide the ultimate solution – a gift that creates a clean air haven in the home

A high-efficiency home purifier or powerful, energy efficient air purifier will clean the air in home offices and larger spaces while people are working, studying, or in living and dining rooms while they gather. With sound-attenuating filters and double-walled housing, a home air purifier can even be quiet enough to clean the air at night while the family sleeps. For the kitchen, an optional gas and odour filter can capture cooking and cleaning odours.

Another solution for direct, focused clean air is gifting a desk air purifier. Portable and able to be setup on any flat surface, desk air purifiers can deliver clean air to breathing spaces in nurseries, on bed stands, at desks, or from end tables.

Road traffic is a major contributing source of nitrogen dioxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When the two pollutants combine, they can create ozone. Vehicle combustion also produces particle matter. If your loved one is always on the road, a portable car air purifier can help keep the air safe within their vehicle interior.

Here’s why IQAir offers the best air purifiers and is your go-to solution for air-cleaning needs:

HyperHEPA filtration technology is tested and certified by an independent third-party lab to effectively filter harmful ultrafine pollution particles down to 0.003 microns in size. For perspective, this is 100 times smaller than what is accomplished with conventional air filtration technology and 10 times smaller than a virus.
Each system is individually tested at the factory and is certified to filter a minimum of 99.5% of all particles 0.003 microns or larger. Unlike other air purifiers, IQAir systems are designed to ensure that all the air goes completely through the filters and not around it like other leaky designs. If it doesn’t meet or exceed these performance standards, it doesn’t leave our factory — period.
Unparalleled performance achieved through safe, healthy technology. IQAir air filtration solutions use only safe, proven, mechanical filtration technology, without generating dangerous ions, ozone, or UV.
Swiss Made quality is at the very core of everything that IQAir does. By using the finest quality components, a specialized team of highly skilled technicians, and cutting-edge manufacturing processes refined for more than 60 years, IQAir builds the best air purifiers in the world.

To sum it up: IQAir air-filtration systems are certified and proven to filter more, last longer, and work harder than other air purifiers on the market. They are the ultimate clean air gifts.

Air quality monitors

How can the people you care about most tell when airborne pollutants are in their environment? With an air quality monitor.

Consider the world's smartest air quality monitors from IQAir’s AirVisual Series that precisely measures and records air quality indoors and outdoors, wherever you go.

Advanced smart technology allows you to set up personalized air quality alerts as well as link AirVisual Series air quality monitors with your connected home technology to maximise clean air while minimising home HVAC costs.

Great free gift idea: Air quality app

A great free gift option is the AirVisual app, which provides real-time air quality data and forecast alerts worldwide. It’s a perfect gift for anyone looking to monitor air quality and take proactive steps to protect their health.

The app delivers personalized air quality alerts and integrates with smart home systems, making it a useful tool for reducing pollution exposure. Gifting the AirVisual app offers friends and family an easy way to stay informed about air conditions and make healthier lifestyle choices.

Personal protection for better air quality

For those loved ones who spend extended periods of time outdoors when the air quality is poor, a gift of personal protection masks will be appreciated. The IQAir Mask promises to protect against the most dangerous airborne particulate matter.

Multi-layer HyperHEPA media filtration is effective against 95% of particles, including those insidious, harmful ultrafine particles. An ergonomic, user-friendly design ensures that this all-day pollution protection is as comfortable as it is easy-to-use.

The IQAir Mask is excellent for use by construction, utility, and sanitation workers, landscapers, emergency personnel, and all others whose jobs demand they continue to work outdoors even during times of hazardous air quality.

Make sure gifts don’t decrease air quality

It’s important to consider gifts that don't compromise air quality. For instance, avoid items that off-gas VOCs, such as certain plastics. Instead, choose toys and products made from natural materials like solid wood, and ensure any used paints, stains, or adhesives are low in VOCs (4). More natural gift choices not only provide safer alternatives but also contribute to maintaining a clean air environment.

If at the top of your holiday gift guide for dad is a barbecue grill, choose one that uses propane or natural gas instead of charcoal. The gas models do release some pollutants, including carbon dioxide, into the air. But burning charcoal emits much more particulate matter and about twice the carbon dioxide. Using lighting fluid to help ignite charcoal adds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to those emissions (5).

A holiday gift guide for mom could include a vacuum cleaner. If so, make sure you get her one that includes a true HEPA filter that can trap the dust, pet dander, pollen and other surface particles and don’t recirculate them back into the air like standard vacuums can.

Scented candles are a lovely gift. Unfortunately, even when not lit, they can emit VOCs into the air. Better are essential oils (not fragrance oils that contain artificial ingredients) and containers of potpourri. Or you can put together your own little bags filled with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and other spices that gift recipients can simmer in water.

In general, before buying a gift, consider how it will affect the air quality. If it will harm the air quality, we suggest looking for similar alternatives or avoiding them altogether.

Give the gift of clean air to communities in need

If you prefer to give back this holiday season, consider donating to clean air initiatives instead of traditional gifts. Contributions to the IQAir Foundation can help provide clean air solutions to underserved communities around the world and protect vulnerable populations from harmful air pollutants.

Or instead of a present, you can ask your loved ones to make a donation on your behalf and support life-changing programs that monitor air quality, install air purifiers, and promote healthier living environments globally. Every donation helps create cleaner, healthier air for those who need it most.

Conclusion

If your holiday gift guide includes air purifiers and air quality monitoring technology this year, be sure to choose quality. An air purifier that’s properly maintained is an investment that can be appreciated and provide protection against airborne pollutants for many years after celebrations end.

","the-ultimate-clean-air-gift-guide","gid://shopify/Article/606868701483","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/the-ultimate-clean-air-gift-guide","2025-11-04T08:00:00Z",[853,390,653],"The ultimate clean air holiday gift guide",{"_10":1267,"_243":-5,"_246":1268,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412744581494","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_CleanAirGift_Desk_A.jpg?v=1771459657",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1270,"_1115":1271,"_1131":1272,"_1133":1272,"_1135":1273,"_1137":1274,"_985":1275,"_10":1276,"_1141":1277,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1278,"_577":1279,"_541":1280,"_1148":1281},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Don’t let travel concerns make your holidays any less festive this year. Learn more.","People around the world love getting together with their families for the holidays. Because modern families can be widely dispersed across distant cities, states, provinces, and even countries, travel is often a necessary and important step leading up to holiday celebrations. Travel was discouraged as the height of the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) outbreak in 2020. As of 2024, travel restrictions have been lifted. Following are a few holiday travel safety tips to consider in trying to help make the journey back home for the holidays safer and brighter. 1. Avoid infection on public transportation Air travel inevitably means being in close quarters with other people. While COVID-19 restrictions are no longer in place, there are recommendations for avoiding airborne infections, including flu. Health agencies in the United States, Canada, and Australia still recommend several steps that can be taken during air travel (1) (2) (3). Some of the recommendations include: be fully vaccinated before boarding when possible before and after the flight, socially distance wear a well-constructed, well-fitted mask Travel on trains, subways, and buses still list similar health recommendations. Solution Advice from public health officials continues to be that the best way for passengers to avoid infections is to practice regular hand-washing, vaccinate against flu and COVID-19, socially distance, and wear a mask. 2. Keep air travel pollution out of your public transportation Travelers at airports, train, subway, and bus stations, as well as in transit, can be exposed to both PM2.5 and ultrafine particles, in addition to other air pollutants (4). PM2.5, fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less, has been associated with a range of health problems. Higher than usual concentrations of ultrafine particles can be found near airports. Ultrafine particles, particulate matter measuring as small as 0.003 microns, are so small that after inhalation and entering the lungs, they can pass into the bloodstream and affect every organ of the body. Higher than usual concentrations of ultrafine particles can be found near airports (5) (6) (7). A few health problems associated with PM2.5 and ultrafine particles can include: heart and lung disease bronchitis emphysema asthma and more intense flareups Other air travel pollution and pollutants found in public transportation may include: carbon dioxide carbon monoxide nitrogen oxides such as nitrogen dioxide PM10 sulfur dioxide volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Some of the listed pollutants have been measured exceeding air quality limits in railway stations. According to a 2019 paper published by King’s College London and the University of Edinburgh, both Edinburgh’s Waverly and London’s King’s Cross stations were observed exceeding PM2.5, PM10, and nitrogen dioxide European Union air quality limits (8). Solution Wearing a protective KN95/FFP2 mask will help keep PM2.5 out of your lungs while traveling. 3. Holiday road trip Vehicle travel does mean less time spent around other people but is still not entirely without risk – and not just the risk of infectious disease. As with public transportation, another airborne health risk for holiday travelers can come from driving and being on the road itself. PM2.5, ultrafine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and VOCs are all common vehicle emissions found near highways and roads. Nitrogen oxides and VOCs chemically combine in sunlight to create ground level ozone or smog. Ozone is a respiratory irritant that can present as a haze and can be a common pollutant in some cities such as Los Angeles and Mexico City. Solution To better control in-cabin air pollutants while on the road, drivers may consider installing a vehicle air purifier capable of capturing odors, gases, and pollutants. 4. Keep your hotel room air clean Whether staying in a guest bedroom or in a hotel during holiday travel, there’s peace of mind in knowing that one’s sleeping quarters are free from contaminants – particularly if a hotel room is near a major freeway, a major source of airborne pollutants. Air pollutants don’t always come indoors from the outside – the source might be within the room itself. Air pollutants don’t always come indoors from the outside – the source might be within the room itself. A study published in Indoor Air surveyed Brazilian hotels for dust mite and pet allergens in 2007 (9). The research found that dust mite, feline, and canine allergens were present in all levels of hotels in the study, presenting a possible risk for hotel guests with asthma and allergies. Solution For those stays away from home, bring a personal air purifier to help clean the air overnight. An efficient personal air purifier with quiet fans that can be setup on a nightstand can deliver clean air directly to a holiday traveler’s breathing space while they sleep. 5. Know your air quality on the go It’s important to know what the air pollution concentrations are in the area. For the home, there are air quality monitors for monitoring either indoor or outdoor air pollutants. On the go, download an app that can provide essential, real-time air quality updates and forecasts to help prepare for and take action during poor air quality days. Conclusion The holidays are meant to be a joyous time of year, spent surrounded by loved ones and enjoying time together. Being on the road can be stressful enough – there’s no reason to add to that stress by unnecessarily exposing oneself to airborne pollutants. By taking smart precautions, following recommended holiday travel safety tips and employing air cleaning technology, it is possible to help mitigate the dangers of contaminants and help keep everyone safer and in high spirits this holiday season.","

People around the world love getting together with their families for the holidays. Because modern families can be widely dispersed across distant cities, states, provinces, and even countries, travel is often a necessary and important step leading up to holiday celebrations.

Travel was discouraged as the height of the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) outbreak in 2020. As of 2024, travel restrictions have been lifted.

Following are a few holiday travel safety tips to consider in trying to help make the journey back home for the holidays safer and brighter.

1. Avoid infection on public transportation

Air travel inevitably means being in close quarters with other people. While COVID-19 restrictions are no longer in place, there are recommendations for avoiding airborne infections, including flu. Health agencies in the United States, Canada, and Australia still recommend several steps that can be taken during air travel (1) (2) (3).

Some of the recommendations include:

be fully vaccinated before boarding
when possible before and after the flight, socially distance
wear a well-constructed, well-fitted mask\n

Travel on trains, subways, and buses still list similar health recommendations.

Solution

Advice from public health officials continues to be that the best way for passengers to avoid infections is to practice regular hand-washing, vaccinate against flu and COVID-19, socially distance, and wear a mask.

2. Keep air travel pollution out of your public transportation

Travelers at airports, train, subway, and bus stations, as well as in transit, can be exposed to both PM2.5 and ultrafine particles, in addition to other air pollutants (4).

PM2.5, fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less, has been associated with a range of health problems.

Higher than usual concentrations of ultrafine particles can be found near airports.

Ultrafine particles, particulate matter measuring as small as 0.003 microns, are so small that after inhalation and entering the lungs, they can pass into the bloodstream and affect every organ of the body. Higher than usual concentrations of ultrafine particles can be found near airports (5) (6) (7).

A few health problems associated with PM2.5 and ultrafine particles can include:

heart and lung disease
bronchitis
emphysema
asthma and more intense flareups

Other air travel pollution and pollutants found in public transportation may include:

carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
nitrogen oxides such as nitrogen dioxide\n
PM10
sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Some of the listed pollutants have been measured exceeding air quality limits in railway stations. According to a 2019 paper published by King’s College London and the University of Edinburgh, both Edinburgh’s Waverly and London’s King’s Cross stations were observed exceeding PM2.5, PM10, and nitrogen dioxide European Union air quality limits (8).

Solution

Wearing a protective KN95/FFP2 mask will help keep PM2.5 out of your lungs while traveling.

3. Holiday road trip

Vehicle travel does mean less time spent around other people but is still not entirely without risk – and not just the risk of infectious disease.

As with public transportation, another airborne health risk for holiday travelers can come from driving and being on the road itself. PM2.5, ultrafine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and VOCs are all common vehicle emissions found near highways and roads. Nitrogen oxides and VOCs chemically combine in sunlight to create ground level ozone or smog. Ozone is a respiratory irritant that can present as a haze and can be a common pollutant in some cities such as Los Angeles and Mexico City.

Solution

To better control in-cabin air pollutants while on the road, drivers may consider installing a vehicle air purifier capable of capturing odors, gases, and pollutants.

4. Keep your hotel room air clean

Whether staying in a guest bedroom or in a hotel during holiday travel, there’s peace of mind in knowing that one’s sleeping quarters are free from contaminants – particularly if a hotel room is near a major freeway, a major source of airborne pollutants.

Air pollutants don’t always come indoors from the outside – the source might be within the room itself.

Air pollutants don’t always come indoors from the outside – the source might be within the room itself. A study published in Indoor Air surveyed Brazilian hotels for dust mite and pet allergens in 2007 (9). The research found that dust mite, feline, and canine allergens were present in all levels of hotels in the study, presenting a possible risk for hotel guests with asthma and allergies.

Solution

For those stays away from home, bring a personal air purifier to help clean the air overnight. An efficient personal air purifier with quiet fans that can be setup on a nightstand can deliver clean air directly to a holiday traveler’s breathing space while they sleep.

5. Know your air quality on the go

It’s important to know what the air pollution concentrations are in the area. For the home, there are air quality monitors for monitoring either indoor or outdoor air pollutants. On the go, download an app that can provide essential, real-time air quality updates and forecasts to help prepare for and take action during poor air quality days.

Conclusion

The holidays are meant to be a joyous time of year, spent surrounded by loved ones and enjoying time together. Being on the road can be stressful enough – there’s no reason to add to that stress by unnecessarily exposing oneself to airborne pollutants.

By taking smart precautions, following recommended holiday travel safety tips and employing air cleaning technology, it is possible to help mitigate the dangers of contaminants and help keep everyone safer and in high spirits this holiday season.

","holiday-travel-tips-better-air-quality","gid://shopify/Article/606905991467","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/holiday-travel-tips-better-air-quality","2025-10-27T04:00:00Z",[390,638,653],"5 Holiday travel tips for clean air and better health",{"_10":1282,"_243":1283,"_246":1284,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/409676874102","holiday travel","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/HolidayTravel_Desktop_b_5920d9d2-2c8e-4607-9026-5b2d88bc0f44.jpg?v=1761577164",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1286,"_1115":1287,"_1131":1288,"_1133":1289,"_1135":1290,"_1137":1291,"_985":1292,"_10":1293,"_1141":1294,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1278,"_577":1295,"_541":1296,"_1148":1297},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn how to improve winter air quality and winter allergies during the holiday season.","

Learn how to improve winter air quality and winter allergies during the holiday season.

","The holidays are often spent with our families and friends, giving us time to reflect on our lives together with gratitude. But the holidays also mean that more people are traveling and spending time together indoors, sometimes in small, cramped spaces. This can greatly increase the risk of poor indoor air quality from airborne pollutants and pathogens, triggering asthma and allergies as well as exposing you to viral and bacterial infections. However, there are steps you can take to help improve your air quality and reduce your risk of exposure to air pollution and airborne infections during the holidays. Here are eight invisible challenges to holiday air quality and how you can manage them. 1. Airborne viruses Unfortunately, many infections can easily spread in gatherings, including: the common cold the flu COVID-19 (a serious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) measles tuberculosis (TB) While an air purifier alone isn’t recommended for avoiding airborne diseases, it’s important as a line of defense along with source control measures, such as social distancing and wearing a KN95/FFP2-certified mask (1). For example, the IQAir Mask is KN95/FFP2-certified and filters ≥95% of particles down to 0.3 microns. For on-the-go protection, it’s great for crowded indoor gatherings, airports, and public transportation. While no one is saying you should be alone on the holidays, take protective measures so that you don’t put family or friends in harm’s way given the increased risk of airborne infections like influenza and COVID-19 this winter. What you can do: When possible, use video chats for get-togethers rather than meeting in person. Consider using an Atem Desk personal air purifier as a center piece or near sofas and chairs in the living room. 2. Winter allergies Winter allergies can be problematic during the holidays. Pet dander, dust mites, molds, artificial scents, and indoor smoking can all contribute to miserable allergy symptoms and potentially trigger attacks in asthma sufferers (2). Pets can also react to some allergens, like dust mites. Addressing allergens in the home can help mitigate symptoms for both the allergy and asthma sufferers among your family and friends. What you can do: Regularly clean your home with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum. Clean pillows, beds, and mattresses. If you have a room air purifier, be sure you've replaced your filter. If allergies are severe, wearing an IQAir Mask can help reduce exposure to dust and allergens. 3. Traffic pollution Both cars and traffic are known to result in air pollution and could impact indoor air quality in homes near major roadways. Traffic air pollution is a major risk for pregnant women, increasing the risk of asthma and poor lung function (3). The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found that pollution from traffic congestion kills 2,234 people in the U.S. every year. What you can do: Run an air purifier, if you live by highways. Invest in a car air purifier. To reduce air pollution, select vehicles that are fuel efficient, hybrid or electric vehicles. Make sure indoor air quality isn’t affected by outdoor traffic by using an indoor air quality monitor. Wear a KN95 mask while commuting or traveling through high-pollution areas to help reduce exposure to PM2.5 and ultrafine particles. 4. Cooking and cleaning With out-of-town guests and holiday celebrations taking place in the home, there’s bound to be an increase in household cleaning and cooking. All human activity in buildings, especially cooking and cleaning, can release particulates, gases, chemicals, and odors into the atmosphere, including (4): harmful cleaning chemicals found in air fresheners chlorine bleach furniture and floor polish rug and upholstery cleaners oven cleaners aerosol spray products detergents dishwashing liquid ammonia, found in many cleaners Charcoal briquets used for cooking or heating can also release particulates that are linked to heart and lung conditions (5). What you can do: Purchase green or eco-friendly cleaning products with few volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fragrances, irritants, and flammable ingredients. Use warm water and soap or baking soda as a safer cleaning solution. Avoid petroleum-based lighter fluids and self-lighting charcoal. Cook without grills or barbecues, if possible. Consider using recyclable wrapping paper; the paper can be recycled rather than tossed out after presents are unwrapped. You can also reuse gift bags rather than throwing them out. 5. Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves A crackling fire on a frosty night has traditionally been the preferred way to keep warm during long, cold winters, especially in regions where forms of indoor heating like furnaces aren’t available. But studies have determined that wood burning in fireplaces and stoves can result in extremely poor air quality (6). Wood fires are also connected to a range of health conditions (7) (8). The American Lung Association has found that health threats linked to wood burning can include (9): coughing wheezing asthma attacks heart attacks lung cancer premature death Wood-burning emissions also release particle pollution, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and VOCs as well as add carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere, both of which are major contributors to climate change (10). Despite regulatory efforts to curb wood stoves and fireplace use, wood burning is an essential means of heating homes in a number of regions around the world. Air pollution from wood burning is still a major concern even in Western countries where other types of heating are available. In the United States, for example, the Census Bureau found that ten counties with populations over 65,000 relied on wood for between 16.6 and 60.6 percent of their heating (11). An additional nine counties in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington with populations under 65,000 also had similar percentages of wood-burning homes. What you can do: Try to find alternatives to burning wood. If you must burn wood, use wood that has been split, dried, and covered for six months. Use a HEPA filter in your fireplace, if possible. If you’re going to use a fireplace, use it sparingly with an air purifier running. Power your heating mechanisms, such as furnaces, with a clean, renewable resource when possible, like solar power. Find a fireplace video, put on some holiday music, and enjoy breathing fresh air. Try to maintain good airflow and ventilation. Monitor your indoor air quality. and stay up to date on your community’s air quality with an outdoor air quality monitor. 6. Scented candles & fragrances If you’re looking to brighten your holidays with scented candles or artificial fragrances, you may want to think again. Scented candles present hidden dangers even when they’re not lit. Many candles are made of paraffin wax and use synthetic fragrances and dyes. Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct. When burned, paraffin wax releases VOCs and ultrafine particles. Scented candles usually use synthetic fragrances and dyes that can emit VOCs whether the candle has been lit or not (12). Be careful with gift-giving as well. For some people, physical contact or inhalation of fragrance ingredients can cause an allergic reaction (13). What you can do: Simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water on your stove. Diffuse essential oils (not fragrance oils that contain artificial ingredients). Consider using energy-efficient scented LED candles. Place potpourri bowls around your home. Avoid giving fragrance-heavy holiday gifts like lotions and perfumes. Choose either low-fragrance- or fragrance-free alternatives when possible. 7. Christmas tree syndrome Tightly-bound trees accumulate moisture and can become a breeding ground for molds. These molds enter your home when the tree is brought indoors and can spread mold spores as long as the tree remains indoors. This can result in “Christmas Tree Syndrome,” an allergic reaction caused by any of the 53 types of mold found on the bark and needles of Christmas trees. A 1970 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that 7 percent of allergy sufferers were allergic to conifers (14). While an artificial tree may seem like a fool-proof solution, be aware that plastic decorations – and real trees, for that matter – can emit VOCs (15)(16). What you can do: If you plan to keep the tree, buy preventative medication for allergies. Put the tree up later in the season to reduce exposure time. Keep the tree in a cold area of the home to prevent mold growth. Place the tree outdoors within view from indoors. Decorate the house with ornaments and lights rather than with a tree. Use a room air purifier for allergies. If you’re especially sensitive, wear a mask when handling decorations or setting up the tree. 8. Indoor plants You may want to brighten your home with indoor plants for the holidays. You may have even heard that plants can clean your indoor air. But what’s the truth about plants and indoor air quality? Some popular research around this topic seems promising. A 1989 NASA report suggests that VOCs could be removed by plants in airtight laboratory conditions, finding that 10 to 90 percent of benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde was removed from the air within 24 hours. A 2017 study focused on ozone reduction suggested .9 to 9 percent of ozone was removed by a leaf surface area to room volume ratio of 0.06 m-1 (17). While these studies may seem like good news, there’s a problem. Our homes aren’t airtight. The air in many homes and offices completely swaps out at least once every hour. To get the same air cleaning power from a plant as in the 2017 study to keep up with this air turnover, you’d need 80 plants in a 500 square-foot room. And while plants can remove VOCs in small amounts, you’d need 1,000 plants in a 10x10x8-foot room to match the air filtration potential outlined in the NASA study (18). Introducing new plants into a home can also risk exposing both humans and pets to allergies, in particular if the plant is toxic to a cat or dog. What you can do: If safe for pets and animals, enjoy plants for their appearance. Grow plants outdoors for appearance, food, and seasoning. Use an air purifier for gases and odors rather than relying on indoor plants. Conclusion The holidays are meant for relaxation and time spent with family – addressing some of the holiday season’s biggest air quality challenges can allow you to put your feet up and enjoy the comforts of home without irritants, pollutants, or pathogens clouding your indoor air. You’ll breathe easier knowing that you’ve helped make your home cleaner and safer for your family members and loved ones.","

The holidays are often spent with our families and friends, giving us time to reflect on our lives together with gratitude.

But the holidays also mean that more people are traveling and spending time together indoors, sometimes in small, cramped spaces. This can greatly increase the risk of poor indoor air quality from airborne pollutants and pathogens, triggering asthma and allergies as well as exposing you to viral and bacterial infections.

However, there are steps you can take to help improve your air quality and reduce your risk of exposure to air pollution and airborne infections during the holidays. Here are eight invisible challenges to holiday air quality and how you can manage them.

1. Airborne viruses

Unfortunately, many infections can easily spread in gatherings, including:

the common cold
the flu
COVID-19 (a serious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus)
measles
tuberculosis (TB)

While an air purifier alone isn’t recommended for avoiding airborne diseases, it’s important as a line of defense along with source control measures, such as social distancing and wearing a KN95/FFP2-certified mask (1). For example, the IQAir Mask is KN95/FFP2-certified and filters ≥95% of particles down to 0.3 microns. For on-the-go protection, it’s great for crowded indoor gatherings, airports, and public transportation.

While no one is saying you should be alone on the holidays, take protective measures so that you don’t put family or friends in harm’s way given the increased risk of airborne infections like influenza and COVID-19 this winter.

What you can do:

When possible, use video chats for get-togethers rather than meeting in person.
Consider using an Atem Desk personal air purifier as a center piece or near sofas and chairs in the living room.

2. Winter allergies

Winter allergies can be problematic during the holidays. Pet dander, dust mites, molds, artificial scents, and indoor smoking can all contribute to miserable allergy symptoms and potentially trigger attacks in asthma sufferers (2).

Pets can also react to some allergens, like dust mites.

Addressing allergens in the home can help mitigate symptoms for both the allergy and asthma sufferers among your family and friends.

What you can do:

Regularly clean your home with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum.
Clean pillows, beds, and mattresses.
If you have a room air purifier, be sure you've replaced your filter.
If allergies are severe, wearing an IQAir Mask can help reduce exposure to dust and allergens.

3. Traffic pollution

Both cars and traffic are known to result in air pollution and could impact indoor air quality in homes near major roadways.

Traffic air pollution is a major risk for pregnant women, increasing the risk of asthma and poor lung function (3).

The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found that pollution from traffic congestion kills 2,234 people in the U.S. every year.

What you can do:

Run an air purifier, if you live by highways.
Invest in a car air purifier.\n
To reduce air pollution, select vehicles that are fuel efficient, hybrid or electric vehicles.
Make sure indoor air quality isn’t affected by outdoor traffic by using an indoor air quality monitor.\n
Wear a KN95 mask while commuting or traveling through high-pollution areas to help reduce exposure to PM2.5 and ultrafine particles.
\n

4. Cooking and cleaning

With out-of-town guests and holiday celebrations taking place in the home, there’s bound to be an increase in household cleaning and cooking.

All human activity in buildings, especially cooking and cleaning, can release particulates, gases, chemicals, and odors into the atmosphere, including (4):

harmful cleaning chemicals found in air fresheners
chlorine bleach
furniture and floor polish
rug and upholstery cleaners
oven cleaners
aerosol spray products
detergents
dishwashing liquid
\nammonia, found in many cleaners

Charcoal briquets used for cooking or heating can also release particulates that are linked to heart and lung conditions (5).

What you can do:

Purchase green or eco-friendly cleaning products with few volatile organic compounds (VOCs), fragrances, irritants, and flammable ingredients.
Use warm water and soap or baking soda as a safer cleaning solution.
Avoid petroleum-based lighter fluids and self-lighting charcoal.
Cook without grills or barbecues, if possible.
Consider using recyclable wrapping paper; the paper can be recycled rather than tossed out after presents are unwrapped.
You can also reuse gift bags rather than throwing them out.

5. Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves

A crackling fire on a frosty night has traditionally been the preferred way to keep warm during long, cold winters, especially in regions where forms of indoor heating like furnaces aren’t available. But studies have determined that wood burning in fireplaces and stoves can result in extremely poor air quality (6).

Wood fires are also connected to a range of health conditions (7) (8). The American Lung Association has found that health threats linked to wood burning can include (9):

coughing
wheezing
asthma attacks
heart attacks
lung cancer
premature death

Wood-burning emissions also release particle pollution, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and VOCs as well as add carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere, both of which are major contributors to climate change (10).

Despite regulatory efforts to curb wood stoves and fireplace use, wood burning is an essential means of heating homes in a number of regions around the world.

Air pollution from wood burning is still a major concern even in Western countries where other types of heating are available. In the United States, for example, the Census Bureau found that ten counties with populations over 65,000 relied on wood for between 16.6 and 60.6 percent of their heating (11).

An additional nine counties in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington with populations under 65,000 also had similar percentages of wood-burning homes.

What you can do:

Try to find alternatives to burning wood.
If you must burn wood, use wood that has been split, dried, and covered for six months.
Use a HEPA filter in your fireplace, if possible.
If you’re going to use a fireplace, use it sparingly with an air purifier running.
Power your heating mechanisms, such as furnaces, with a clean, renewable resource when possible, like solar power.
Find a fireplace video, put on some holiday music, and enjoy breathing fresh air.
Try to maintain good airflow and ventilation.
Monitor your indoor air quality. and stay up to date on your community’s air quality with an outdoor air quality monitor.

6. Scented candles & fragrances

If you’re looking to brighten your holidays with scented candles or artificial fragrances, you may want to think again. Scented candles present hidden dangers even when they’re not lit.

Many candles are made of paraffin wax and use synthetic fragrances and dyes. Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct. When burned, paraffin wax releases VOCs and ultrafine particles.

Scented candles usually use synthetic fragrances and dyes that can emit VOCs whether the candle has been lit or not (12).

Be careful with gift-giving as well. For some people, physical contact or inhalation of fragrance ingredients can cause an allergic reaction (13).

What you can do:

Simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water on your stove.
Diffuse essential oils (not fragrance oils that contain artificial ingredients).
Consider using energy-efficient scented LED candles.
Place potpourri bowls around your home.
Avoid giving fragrance-heavy holiday gifts like lotions and perfumes.
Choose either low-fragrance- or fragrance-free alternatives when possible.

7. Christmas tree syndrome

Tightly-bound trees accumulate moisture and can become a breeding ground for molds. These molds enter your home when the tree is brought indoors and can spread mold spores as long as the tree remains indoors.

This can result in “Christmas Tree Syndrome,” an allergic reaction caused by any of the 53 types of mold found on the bark and needles of Christmas trees. A 1970 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that 7 percent of allergy sufferers were allergic to conifers (14).

While an artificial tree may seem like a fool-proof solution, be aware that plastic decorations – and real trees, for that matter – can emit VOCs (15)(16).

What you can do:

If you plan to keep the tree, buy preventative medication for allergies.
Put the tree up later in the season to reduce exposure time.
Keep the tree in a cold area of the home to prevent mold growth.
Place the tree outdoors within view from indoors.
Decorate the house with ornaments and lights rather than with a tree.
Use a room air purifier for allergies.
If you’re especially sensitive, wear a mask when handling decorations or setting up the tree.

8. Indoor plants

You may want to brighten your home with indoor plants for the holidays. You may have even heard that plants can clean your indoor air. But what’s the truth about plants and indoor air quality?

Some popular research around this topic seems promising. A 1989 NASA report suggests that VOCs could be removed by plants in airtight laboratory conditions, finding that 10 to 90 percent of benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde was removed from the air within 24 hours. A 2017 study focused on ozone reduction suggested .9 to 9 percent of ozone was removed by a leaf surface area to room volume ratio of 0.06 m-1 (17).

While these studies may seem like good news, there’s a problem. Our homes aren’t airtight. The air in many homes and offices completely swaps out at least once every hour. To get the same air cleaning power from a plant as in the 2017 study to keep up with this air turnover, you’d need 80 plants in a 500 square-foot room. And while plants can remove VOCs in small amounts, you’d need 1,000 plants in a 10x10x8-foot room to match the air filtration potential outlined in the NASA study (18).

Introducing new plants into a home can also risk exposing both humans and pets to allergies, in particular if the plant is toxic to a cat or dog.

What you can do:

If safe for pets and animals, enjoy plants for their appearance.
Grow plants outdoors for appearance, food, and seasoning.
Use an air purifier for gases and odors rather than relying on indoor plants.

Conclusion

The holidays are meant for relaxation and time spent with family – addressing some of the holiday season’s biggest air quality challenges can allow you to put your feet up and enjoy the comforts of home without irritants, pollutants, or pathogens clouding your indoor air.

You’ll breathe easier knowing that you’ve helped make your home cleaner and safer for your family members and loved ones.

","8-hidden-holiday-air-quality-challenges-and-how-to-handle-them","gid://shopify/Article/606871945515","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/8-hidden-holiday-air-quality-challenges-and-how-to-handle-them",[390,1247,653],"8 Hidden holiday air quality challenges and how to handle them",{"_10":1298,"_243":1299,"_246":1300,"_248":1301,"_244":1302},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/409676841334","Woman in holiday setting sneezing","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_8HolidayChallenges_Desk2_568274ef-1b21-46d8-a2f3-f0be49125189.jpg?v=1761577136",800,450,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1304,"_1115":1305,"_1131":1306,"_1133":1306,"_1135":1307,"_1137":1308,"_985":1309,"_10":1310,"_1141":1311,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1312,"_577":1313,"_541":1314,"_1148":1315},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Ever wondered what air pollution and climate change might have to do with each other? The answer might surprise you. Learn more.","The overwhelming scientific consensus according to more than 99.9 percent of peer-reviewed studies is clear – climate change is real and man-made (1). Climate change results in increased flooding, record heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, and longer, more extreme wildfire seasons that all directly affect our welfare (2)(3)(4). Climate change is predicted to have devastating long-term effects on human health and safety. Regional impacts provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change include (5): abrupt ecosystem shifts species extinction reduced snow cover greater risk of flash flooding reduced agricultural output for a growing population more intense, prolonged heatwaves increased droughts What is the connection between air pollution and climate change? The key driver of climate change is air pollution caused by methane emissions and fossil fuel burning, gas-phase air pollution. These two environmental hazards are deeply intertwined and must be addressed together. The consequences of climate change are dire and the need for mitigating action is urgent. Because the connection between air pollution and climate change is well-established, it’s critical to understand the complex interaction between pollutants and our environment, how that leads to climate change, and what can be done about it. Key pollutants affecting poor air quality and climate change How greenhouse gases and particulate matter differ Air pollutants come in two physical states: solid, particulate matter and gas-phase pollutants. Gas-phase pollutants, such as greenhouse gases (GHGs) consist of methane, nitrous oxides, and carbon dioxide. These gas pollutants enter the Earth’s atmosphere in unprecedented concentrations, causing our planet’s climate system to change. When greenhouse gases absorb radiation, they also trap the sun’s heat and stop them from entering space. This creates a greenhouse effect; the effect is like a blanket wrapping around the Earth, trapping heat and causing the planet to warm up (6). Notably, many significant air pollutants like PM2.5 aren’t gases – they’re tiny particles. PM2.5 are particle pollutants measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or less. The chemistry surrounding PM2.5 is not as dynamic and volatile as gas-phase pollutants. Nevertheless, particulate pollution can deeply harm human health. In fact, over 7 million people die every year due to mainly particulate matter pollution, as it is linked to increased heart and lung illnesses and other serious health effects. Because of these differences, most governments write laws and develop policy separating greenhouse gas emissions (also known as gas-phase air pollution) and particulate matter air pollution. How air pollution affects weather patterns Hotter temperatures impact heatwave length and intensity, wildfire frequency, and increase air pollution. Increased heat and sunlight generate higher concentrations of ozone, a gas which forms through a combination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides chemically interacting with sunlight. Ground-level ozone is also called smog. This is different from the “ozone layer,” high up in the Earth’s atmosphere that protects us from the sun’s harmful rays (7). While ground ozone by itself is a pollutant, heat has the added impact of increasing particle pollutants. By drying out plants and soil, high heat increases dust circulation and creates conditions favorable for wildfires. A careless camper in a back country forest or lightning strikes can spark massive infernos, which then carry smoke for hundreds or thousands of miles. Can air pollution affect the weather (meteorology)? There are many ways in which air pollution directly impacts the weather. Higher concentrations of particle pollution can affect cloud formation. When there are moderate concentrations of particle pollutants, water condenses onto the particles. Clouds become taller, creating more intense rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning. This can also alter traditional rainfall patterns, with significant potential consequences (8). For example, when an area has experienced long periods of drought and vegetation is dry, storms can ignite brush. It’s often lightning strikes that spark wildfires, which leads to noxious wildfire smoke and particulate matter. If there is an extreme concentration of particle pollution – as may be found in smoke – those concentrations can block sunlight and cool the earth’s surface. This inhibits cloud formation and growth, preventing rainfall. The double threat: Black carbon and arctic ice melt Particulate matter itself can affect global warming in various ways, depending on its composition. In general, light-colored particles will reflect sunlight away from and cool the earth. Dark particles absorb heat, having a warming effect. Sulphates and nitrates are light particles which cool; black carbon absorbs heat. Black carbon is a type of particle pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels and biomass, and it contributes to warming by absorbing sunlight. It can have a particularly negative effect when it settles on Arctic ice, which accelerates melting. In a similar way, the more Arctic ice that melts, the less white space exists to reflect sunlight and heat away from Earth – so this contributes doubly toward global warming. Both black carbon and ozone trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in warmer global temperatures. How Reducing Air Pollution Helps Fight Climate Change The stakes are high in reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. Air pollution directly impacts our ability to breathe and live healthy lives. Reducing climate change severity is the key to maintaining a sustainable planet for future generations. The science connecting these environmental issues demands an approach that addresses both problems at the same time. Often, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions come from many of the same sources. Significant contributors to both include carbon-based fuel combustion, combustion that results in vehicle and industrial emissions. Both issues can often be combated simultaneously by reducing harmful emissions and lowering our carbon footprint. We can reduce our carbon footprint on a personal level and through advocacy for national and international cooperation in reducing carbon emissions. Many countries have pledged to meet goals in reducing emissions through international treaties like the 2015 Paris Agreement (9). But we also know that no country in the world is meeting the World Health Organization’s recently updated guidance to reduce their annual average PM2.5 concentrations to 5 µg/m3 or less (micrograms per cubic meter of air). Until countries set their national policies with that goal in mind, particle pollutant levels will remain above safe levels for human health – and will continue to have an impact on climate change. What you can do today We can each pledge to take meaningful steps to lower our personal carbon footprint in many ways: When possible, walk to stores and restaurants rather than taking the car – or carpool. When buying a new vehicle, choose a fuel-efficient, hybrid, or electric vehicle. Install solar power energy for your home or business. You can play an active role in raising air pollution awareness by providing your community with a low-cost air quality monitor. Air quality monitors can notify you and anyone following your station when air quality falls below safe standards, empowering you to take immediate action like closing windows, wearing a mask outdoors, or running a high-efficiency air purifier. Get involved in your community There are other steps you can take to improve air quality in your community. Join local workshops and events to educate others about the importance of reducing air pollution and combatting climate change. Get involved with local environmental groups or initiatives to reduce emissions and improve air quality. Schools4Earth: Engage with schools and educational institutions to incorporate environmental education programs like Schools4Earth, which empower students to take action on climate change and air pollution. Advocate for change Change begins at home, but you can also help improve air quality on a larger scale. Petition your representatives for stronger national standards on PM2.5 levels and greenhouse gas emissions. Support policies that aim to reduce air pollution and mitigate climate change. Advocate for legislation that caps greenhouse gas emissions and promotes the use of renewable energy sources. How individual actions help drive global change Individual actions can collectively drive significant global change by influencing communities, corporations, and governments to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One way to directly help raise air quality awareness - by publicly sharing air quality data. Air quality monitors provide real-time data to raise awareness about local pollution sources and enable quick response to poor air quality events. Air quality data contributors can help their neighbors better understand the air they breathe all over the world by: Shining a light on Milwaukee's most polluted communities. Teaching the next generation of environmental activists in Bangkok, Thailand. Filling gaps in air quality knowledge in Ghana's Volta Region. The takeaway As awareness of the link between air pollution and climate change grows, it’s increasingly important for policymakers to make the connection between the common sources of these problems and find solutions that address both urgent issues. We can all help prevent air pollution and climate change as well. Through our individual choices and advocacy, we can reduce emissions, help ourselves, and help our planet at the same time.","

The overwhelming scientific consensus according to more than 99.9 percent of peer-reviewed studies is clear – climate change is real and man-made (1). Climate change results in increased flooding, record heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, and longer, more extreme wildfire seasons that all directly affect our welfare (2)(3)(4).

Climate change is predicted to have devastating long-term effects on human health and safety. Regional impacts provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change include (5):

abrupt ecosystem shifts
species extinction
reduced snow cover
greater risk of flash flooding
reduced agricultural output for a growing population
more intense, prolonged heatwaves
increased droughts

What is the connection between air pollution and climate change?

The key driver of climate change is air pollution caused by methane emissions and fossil fuel burning, gas-phase air pollution. These two environmental hazards are deeply intertwined and must be addressed together.

The consequences of climate change are dire and the need for mitigating action is urgent. Because the connection between air pollution and climate change is well-established, it’s critical to understand the complex interaction between pollutants and our environment, how that leads to climate change, and what can be done about it.

Key pollutants affecting poor air quality and climate change

How greenhouse gases and particulate matter differ

Air pollutants come in two physical states: solid, particulate matter and gas-phase pollutants. Gas-phase pollutants, such as greenhouse gases (GHGs) consist of methane, nitrous oxides, and carbon dioxide. These gas pollutants enter the Earth’s atmosphere in unprecedented concentrations, causing our planet’s climate system to change.

When greenhouse gases absorb radiation, they also trap the sun’s heat and stop them from entering space. This creates a greenhouse effect; the effect is like a blanket wrapping around the Earth, trapping heat and causing the planet to warm up (6).

Notably, many significant air pollutants like PM2.5 aren’t gases – they’re tiny particles. PM2.5 are particle pollutants measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or less. The chemistry surrounding PM2.5 is not as dynamic and volatile as gas-phase pollutants. Nevertheless, particulate pollution can deeply harm human health. In fact, over 7 million people die every year due to mainly particulate matter pollution, as it is linked to increased heart and lung illnesses and other serious health effects.

Because of these differences, most governments write laws and develop policy separating greenhouse gas emissions (also known as gas-phase air pollution) and particulate matter air pollution.

\n How air pollution affects weather patterns\n

Hotter temperatures impact heatwave length and intensity, wildfire frequency, and increase air pollution. Increased heat and sunlight generate higher concentrations of ozone, a gas which forms through a combination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides chemically interacting with sunlight. Ground-level ozone is also called smog. This is different from the “ozone layer,” high up in the Earth’s atmosphere that protects us from the sun’s harmful rays (7).

While ground ozone by itself is a pollutant, heat has the added impact of increasing particle pollutants. By drying out plants and soil, high heat increases dust circulation and creates conditions favorable for wildfires. A careless camper in a back country forest or lightning strikes can spark massive infernos, which then carry smoke for hundreds or thousands of miles.

Can air pollution affect the weather (meteorology)?

There are many ways in which air pollution directly impacts the weather.

Higher concentrations of particle pollution can affect cloud formation. When there are moderate concentrations of particle pollutants, water condenses onto the particles. Clouds become taller, creating more intense rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning. This can also alter traditional rainfall patterns, with significant potential consequences (8).

For example, when an area has experienced long periods of drought and vegetation is dry, storms can ignite brush. It’s often lightning strikes that spark wildfires, which leads to noxious wildfire smoke and particulate matter.

If there is an extreme concentration of particle pollution – as may be found in smoke – those concentrations can block sunlight and cool the earth’s surface. This inhibits cloud formation and growth, preventing rainfall.

\n The double threat: Black carbon and arctic ice melt\n

Particulate matter itself can affect global warming in various ways, depending on its composition. In general, light-colored particles will reflect sunlight away from and cool the earth. Dark particles absorb heat, having a warming effect. Sulphates and nitrates are light particles which cool; black carbon absorbs heat.

Black carbon is a type of particle pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels and biomass, and it contributes to warming by absorbing sunlight. It can have a particularly negative effect when it settles on Arctic ice, which accelerates melting.

In a similar way, the more Arctic ice that melts, the less white space exists to reflect sunlight and heat away from Earth – so this contributes doubly toward global warming.

Both black carbon and ozone trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in warmer global temperatures.

\n How Reducing Air Pollution Helps Fight Climate Change\n

The stakes are high in reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. Air pollution directly impacts our ability to breathe and live healthy lives. Reducing climate change severity is the key to maintaining a sustainable planet for future generations. The science connecting these environmental issues demands an approach that addresses both problems at the same time.

Often, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions come from many of the same sources. Significant contributors to both include carbon-based fuel combustion, combustion that results in vehicle and industrial emissions.

Both issues can often be combated simultaneously by reducing harmful emissions and lowering our carbon footprint.

We can reduce our carbon footprint on a personal level and through advocacy for national and international cooperation in reducing carbon emissions.

Many countries have pledged to meet goals in reducing emissions through international treaties like the 2015 Paris Agreement (9). But we also know that no country in the world is meeting the World Health Organization’s recently updated guidance to reduce their annual average PM2.5 concentrations to 5 µg/m3 or less (micrograms per cubic meter of air).

Until countries set their national policies with that goal in mind, particle pollutant levels will remain above safe levels for human health – and will continue to have an impact on climate change.

What you can do today

We can each pledge to take meaningful steps to lower our personal carbon footprint in many ways:

When possible, walk to stores and restaurants rather than taking the car – or carpool.
When buying a new vehicle, choose a fuel-efficient, hybrid, or electric vehicle.
Install solar power energy for your home or business.

You can play an active role in raising air pollution awareness by providing your community with a low-cost air quality monitor. Air quality monitors can notify you and anyone following your station when air quality falls below safe standards, empowering you to take immediate action like closing windows, wearing a mask outdoors, or running a high-efficiency air purifier.

Get involved in your community

There are other steps you can take to improve air quality in your community.

\n
Join local workshops and events to educate others about the importance of reducing air pollution and combatting climate change.
\n
\n
Get involved with local environmental groups or initiatives to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
\n
\n
Schools4Earth: Engage with schools and educational institutions to incorporate environmental education programs like Schools4Earth, which empower students to take action on climate change and air pollution.
\n

Advocate for change

Change begins at home, but you can also help improve air quality on a larger scale.

\n
Petition your representatives for stronger national standards on PM2.5 levels and greenhouse gas emissions.
\n
\n
Support policies that aim to reduce air pollution and mitigate climate change.
\n
\n
Advocate for legislation that caps greenhouse gas emissions and promotes the use of renewable energy sources.
\n

How individual actions help drive global change

Individual actions can collectively drive significant global change by influencing communities, corporations, and governments to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One way to directly help raise air quality awareness - by publicly sharing air quality data. Air quality monitors provide real-time data to raise awareness about local pollution sources and enable quick response to poor air quality events.

Air quality data contributors can help their neighbors better understand the air they breathe all over the world by:

\n
Shining a light on Milwaukee's most polluted communities.
\n
\n
Teaching the next generation of environmental activists in Bangkok, Thailand.
\n
\n
Filling gaps in air quality knowledge in Ghana's Volta Region.
\n

The takeaway

As awareness of the link between air pollution and climate change grows, it’s increasingly important for policymakers to make the connection between the common sources of these problems and find solutions that address both urgent issues.

We can all help prevent air pollution and climate change as well. Through our individual choices and advocacy, we can reduce emissions, help ourselves, and help our planet at the same time.

","does-air-pollution-cause-climate-change","gid://shopify/Article/606886265131","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/does-air-pollution-cause-climate-change","2025-08-12T03:00:00Z",[390,638,653],"Does air pollution cause climate change?",{"_10":1316,"_243":1317,"_246":1318,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/412784034166","Gases rising from industrial plant","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_AirPollutionClimateChange_Desk.jpg?v=1771546473",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1320,"_1115":1321,"_1131":1322,"_1133":1323,"_1135":1324,"_1137":1325,"_985":1326,"_10":1327,"_1141":1328,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1329,"_577":1330,"_541":1331,"_1148":1332},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Discover how some of the world's largest cities have successfully kept their air clean. Learn the strategies they use and explore ways to improve air quality in your own community.","

Discover how some of the world's largest cities have successfully kept their air clean. Learn the strategies they use and explore ways to improve air quality in your own community.

","The 2024 World Air Quality Report provides a revealing snapshot of global pollution—and the progress being made. While many urban areas continue to struggle, several major cities are proving that clean air and dense populations can coexist. The five cities highlighted here have set a remarkable standard, maintaining annual average PM2.5 levels at or below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) strict guideline of 5 µg/m3 or less. PM2.5—one of the most harmful air pollutants—is a key measure of air quality due to its severe health effects. Beyond these major urban centers, many smaller communities have also achieved commendable air quality – and that’s good news as well. However, this list focuses on large, well-known cities, proving that even the world’s most populous areas can breathe clean air. 5. Tied: Vancouver, Canada The fourth and fifth cleanest major cities in the world recorded the same annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2024. Air quality in Vancouver, British Columbia was much better than in previous years, allowing the city to meet the WHO guideline for the first time. Vancouver’s annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 4.2 µg/m3; the city’s 2023 annual average had been 5.5 µg/m3. Although Canada experienced a significant and highly destructive 2024 wildfire season, it was less severe than the historic 2023 season (1). Some hazy days returned to the city in August due to fires in British Columbia and neighboring Washington State, but the city was still able to experience 9 out of 12 months in 2024 with average monthly PM2.5 concentrations under 5 µg/m3 (2). Vancouver has set a goal of reducing carbon pollution by 50% by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050 (3). City policy considers land-use planning, encourages zero emissions vehicles and buildings, promotes increasing greenspaces, and takes into account environmental justice – the inequal, unfair distribution of pollution exposure and its health effects on at-risk populations. Air quality in Vancouver, Canada on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map. 4. Tied: San Francisco, USA Air quality in San Francisco, California also met the WHO guideline in 2024. The annual average PM2.5 concentration in the city was 4.2 µg/m3, an improvement over the 2023 annual average of 5.8 µg/m3. San Francisco was able to experience air quality within the WHO guideline 11 out of 12 months of that year. San Francisco was able to experience air quality within the WHO guideline 11 out of 12 months of that year. The city’s average PM2.5 concentration in December was 10.3, likely due to light winds blowing in agricultural pollution from California’s Central Valley (4). Other sources of poor air quality in winter months can include vehicle pollution, wood burning, and temperature inversions. Like Vancouver, San Francisco benefits from its coastal location. Frequent rainy days can help reduce air pollution. The city pursues smart environmental policies by encouraging electric vehicles, replacing gas-burning stoves, investing in clean mass transportation, and by enacting an all-electric construction ordinance (5). San Francisco has a stated goal of cutting the city’s emissions by 61% below 1990 levels and of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040. Air quality in San Francisco, USA on March 24, 2025. Source: IQAir Map. 3. Seattle, USA In 2024, Seattle, Washington measured an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 4.1 µg/m3 – the city’s first time meeting the WHO guideline since 2017. Seattle’s best air quality month in 2024 was April, with an average monthly PM2.5 concentration of 2.9 µg/m3. The city’s worst month was in August at 5.6 µg/m3 due to regional wildfire smoke (6). Smoke, fossil fuel emissions, and industrial activity can all worsen air quality in Seattle (7). Extreme heat has recently become more common in the region, and heat waves can worsen air quality. Between 2020 to 2023, Seattle experienced between 42 and 45 days over 26.7 degrees Celsius. However, there were only 35 such days in 2024 (8). Overlooking Puget Sound near the Pacific Ocean, Seattle benefits from the same ocean breezes enjoyed by Vancouver and San Francisco. Some policies and ordinances may be helping as well – at the end of 2023, Seattle passed an emissions standard law requiring decreased building energy use (9). In 2024, Washington State’s Department of Ecology also launched a $10 million grant program intended to fund local underserved communities’ efforts to counter air pollution (10). Though award notification didn’t begin until early winter 2024 and likely didn’t affect the year’s air quality data outcome, it’s a move that may help sustain Seattle’s positive air quality gains. Air quality in Seattle, USA on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map. 2. Canberra, Australia Canberra, Australia’s annual average PM2.5 concentration for 2024 was 3.9 µg/m3. Australia’s annual average PM2.5 concentration was 4.5 µg/m3. Since Canberra is the nation’s capital, both Australia and its capital were within the WHO air quality guideline. It also means that Australia is meeting its own outdoor air quality stand of an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 8 µg/m3 (11). Canberra edged out both Sydney and Melbourne, Australia in 2024, both of whom were among the top five cleanest cities in 2023. Unlike the other four cities on this list, Canberra doesn’t lie on the Pacific Coast. However, it is only about 65 kilometers inland from the Pacific, an important source of pollutant-dispersing ocean breezes. The city is not without air quality challenges. Australia can experience severe bushfires in the summer. Bushfire smoke can reach Canberra and severely impact air quality; the city maintains a strategy for combatting all sources of smoke by providing assistance for people impacted by bushfire smoke, improving air quality monitoring and forecasts, and bolstering wood heater emission standards (12)(13). Air quality in Canberra, Australia on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map. 1. Auckland, New Zealand In 2024, Auckland, New Zealand, stood out as the major city with the cleanest air by recording an annual average PM2.5 concentration of just 3.3 µg/m3. New Zealand had annual average PM2.5 concentration was 4.5 µg/m3 in 2024. It was the 10th least polluted country or territory in the world. New Zealand's geographical advantages play a key role in its clean air. The nation’s islands benefit from coastal winds that push local pollutants out to sea, while its isolation from neighboring countries helps reduce the intrusion of transboundary pollution. Additionally, the country experiences significant rainfall, which aids in dispersing airborne contaminants. New Zealand has generally improved on its air quality over the years, gradually decreasing from an annual average air quality 7.7 µg/m3 in 2018. However, while still under the WHO guideline, the country’s annual average PM2.5 of 4.4 µg/m3 is a little higher than its annual average of 4.3 µg/m3 in 2023. In fact, both Auckland and New Zealand’s clean air status may be at some risk in coming years. The government has opted to encourage mining, reverse a ban on oil and gas exploration, and is at risk of failing to reduce methane emissions (14). And citing the cost of cleaner fuel, the national air carrier, Air New Zealand, has dropped its 2030 emissions target. Air quality in Auckland, New Zealand on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map. Conclusion Even in these clean air cities, don’t forget: no amount of air pollution is entirely safe. Sustained action is essential to reduce poor air quality, maintain pollution reduction progress, and safeguard public health. Monitoring air quality where we live, work, and attend school can also help keep us air aware and reduce exposure to pollutants. No matter where we live, we can all play a role in creating a cleaner, healthier future—by advocating for cleaner energy, supporting strong environmental policies, and contributing to air quality monitoring.","

The 2024 World Air Quality Report provides a revealing snapshot of global pollution—and the progress being made. While many urban areas continue to struggle, several major cities are proving that clean air and dense populations can coexist.

The five cities highlighted here have set a remarkable standard, maintaining annual average PM2.5 levels at or below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) strict guideline of 5 µg/m3 or less. PM2.5—one of the most harmful air pollutants—is a key measure of air quality due to its severe health effects.

Beyond these major urban centers, many smaller communities have also achieved commendable air quality – and that’s good news as well. However, this list focuses on large, well-known cities, proving that even the world’s most populous areas can breathe clean air.

5. Tied: Vancouver, Canada

The fourth and fifth cleanest major cities in the world recorded the same annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2024.

Air quality in Vancouver, British Columbia was much better than in previous years, allowing the city to meet the WHO guideline for the first time. Vancouver’s annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 4.2 µg/m3; the city’s 2023 annual average had been 5.5 µg/m3.

Although Canada experienced a significant and highly destructive 2024 wildfire season, it was less severe than the historic 2023 season (1). Some hazy days returned to the city in August due to fires in British Columbia and neighboring Washington State, but the city was still able to experience 9 out of 12 months in 2024 with average monthly PM2.5 concentrations under 5 µg/m3 (2).

Vancouver has set a goal of reducing carbon pollution by 50% by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050 (3). City policy considers land-use planning, encourages zero emissions vehicles and buildings, promotes increasing greenspaces, and takes into account environmental justice – the inequal, unfair distribution of pollution exposure and its health effects on at-risk populations.

$\"vancouver$

Air quality in Vancouver, Canada on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map.

4. Tied: San Francisco, USA

Air quality in San Francisco, California also met the WHO guideline in 2024. The annual average PM2.5 concentration in the city was 4.2 µg/m3, an improvement over the 2023 annual average of 5.8 µg/m3.

San Francisco was able to experience air quality within the WHO guideline 11 out of 12 months of that year.

San Francisco was able to experience air quality within the WHO guideline 11 out of 12 months of that year. The city’s average PM2.5 concentration in December was 10.3, likely due to light winds blowing in agricultural pollution from California’s Central Valley (4). Other sources of poor air quality in winter months can include vehicle pollution, wood burning, and temperature inversions.

Like Vancouver, San Francisco benefits from its coastal location. Frequent rainy days can help reduce air pollution. The city pursues smart environmental policies by encouraging electric vehicles, replacing gas-burning stoves, investing in clean mass transportation, and by enacting an all-electric construction ordinance (5). San Francisco has a stated goal of cutting the city’s emissions by 61% below 1990 levels and of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040.

$\"\"$

Air quality in San Francisco, USA on March 24, 2025. Source: IQAir Map.

3. Seattle, USA

In 2024, Seattle, Washington measured an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 4.1 µg/m3 – the city’s first time meeting the WHO guideline since 2017.

Seattle’s best air quality month in 2024 was April, with an average monthly PM2.5 concentration of 2.9 µg/m3. The city’s worst month was in August at 5.6 µg/m3 due to regional wildfire smoke (6). Smoke, fossil fuel emissions, and industrial activity can all worsen air quality in Seattle (7). Extreme heat has recently become more common in the region, and heat waves can worsen air quality. Between 2020 to 2023, Seattle experienced between 42 and 45 days over 26.7 degrees Celsius. However, there were only 35 such days in 2024 (8).

Overlooking Puget Sound near the Pacific Ocean, Seattle benefits from the same ocean breezes enjoyed by Vancouver and San Francisco. Some policies and ordinances may be helping as well – at the end of 2023, Seattle passed an emissions standard law requiring decreased building energy use (9). In 2024, Washington State’s Department of Ecology also launched a $10 million grant program intended to fund local underserved communities’ efforts to counter air pollution (10). Though award notification didn’t begin until early winter 2024 and likely didn’t affect the year’s air quality data outcome, it’s a move that may help sustain Seattle’s positive air quality gains.

$\"\"$

Air quality in Seattle, USA on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map.

2. Canberra, Australia

Canberra, Australia’s annual average PM2.5 concentration for 2024 was 3.9 µg/m3.

Australia’s annual average PM2.5 concentration was 4.5 µg/m3. Since Canberra is the nation’s capital, both Australia and its capital were within the WHO air quality guideline. It also means that Australia is meeting its own outdoor air quality stand of an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 8 µg/m3 (11). Canberra edged out both Sydney and Melbourne, Australia in 2024, both of whom were among the top five cleanest cities in 2023.

Unlike the other four cities on this list, Canberra doesn’t lie on the Pacific Coast. However, it is only about 65 kilometers inland from the Pacific, an important source of pollutant-dispersing ocean breezes.

The city is not without air quality challenges. Australia can experience severe bushfires in the summer. Bushfire smoke can reach Canberra and severely impact air quality; the city maintains a strategy for combatting all sources of smoke by providing assistance for people impacted by bushfire smoke, improving air quality monitoring and forecasts, and bolstering wood heater emission standards (12)(13).

$\"\"$

Air quality in Canberra, Australia on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map.

1. Auckland, New Zealand

In 2024, Auckland, New Zealand, stood out as the major city with the cleanest air by recording an annual average PM2.5 concentration of just 3.3 µg/m3.

New Zealand had annual average PM2.5 concentration was 4.5 µg/m3 in 2024. It was the 10th least polluted country or territory in the world.

New Zealand's geographical advantages play a key role in its clean air. The nation’s islands benefit from coastal winds that push local pollutants out to sea, while its isolation from neighboring countries helps reduce the intrusion of transboundary pollution. Additionally, the country experiences significant rainfall, which aids in dispersing airborne contaminants.

New Zealand has generally improved on its air quality over the years, gradually decreasing from an annual average air quality 7.7 µg/m3 in 2018. However, while still under the WHO guideline, the country’s annual average PM2.5 of 4.4 µg/m3 is a little higher than its annual average of 4.3 µg/m3 in 2023.

In fact, both Auckland and New Zealand’s clean air status may be at some risk in coming years. The government has opted to encourage mining, reverse a ban on oil and gas exploration, and is at risk of failing to reduce methane emissions (14). And citing the cost of cleaner fuel, the national air carrier, Air New Zealand, has dropped its 2030 emissions target.

$\"\"$

Air quality in Auckland, New Zealand on March 20, 2025. Source: IQAir Map.

Conclusion

Even in these clean air cities, don’t forget: no amount of air pollution is entirely safe. Sustained action is essential to reduce poor air quality, maintain pollution reduction progress, and safeguard public health. Monitoring air quality where we live, work, and attend school can also help keep us air aware and reduce exposure to pollutants.

No matter where we live, we can all play a role in creating a cleaner, healthier future—by advocating for cleaner energy, supporting strong environmental policies, and contributing to air quality monitoring.

","top-5-major-cities-good-air-quality-2024","gid://shopify/Article/998773555574","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/top-5-major-cities-good-air-quality-2024","2025-07-08T03:00:00Z",[390,638,653],"Top 5 major cities with good air quality in 2024",{"_10":1333,"_243":-5,"_246":1334,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/408867963254","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_5MajorCities_Desk_2073bbb0-fb09-4ed9-bdee-31c8cec8386d.jpg?v=1759420625","pageInfo",{"_1337":53,"_1338":53,"_1339":1340,"_1341":1342},"hasPreviousPage","hasNextPage","endCursor","eyJsYXN0X2lkIjo5OTg3NzM1NTU1NzQsImxhc3RfdmFsdWUiOjE3NTE5NDM2MDAwMDAsIm9mZnNldCI6MjN9","startCursor","eyJsYXN0X2lkIjoxMDAwMjYwMDQzMTI2LCJsYXN0X3ZhbHVlIjoxNzcwMDUxODI4MDAwLCJvZmZzZXQiOjEyfQ==","selectedTag","Health And Wellness",{"_541":1346,"_983":43,"_246":987,"_988":1347},"IQAir News - Health And Wellness",{"_990":991,"_992":1348,"_12":1346,"_983":43,"_246":987},"Blog","categorizedArticles",{"_1351":1352,"_1389":1390,"_1479":1480,"_1546":1547,"_1617":1618},"featured",[1353,1372],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1354,"_1115":1355,"_1131":1356,"_1133":1357,"_1135":1358,"_1137":1359,"_985":1360,"_10":1361,"_1141":1362,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1363,"_577":1364,"_541":1366,"_1148":1367},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"See how Cameroon’s campus-based air quality monitoring is helping students, teachers, and communities make invisible pollution visible.","

See how Cameroon’s campus-based air quality monitoring is helping students, teachers, and communities make invisible pollution visible.

","In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, students at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School now have access to something most schools in the country have never had before: real-time air quality data from their own campus. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is home to Cameroon’s first campus-based real-time air quality monitoring station. This is an important step in a country where public access to pollution data has long been limited. At the time of installation, the station was among a small number of sites in Cameroon providing real-time air quality data—and the first to be installed on a school campus. Why a school was the right place to begin Air pollution is often discussed at the level of cities, countries, or global health reports. But for children, it is also deeply local. It affects the air they breathe on the way to school, during outdoor activities, and throughout the school day. That local reality is one reason the project began on a campus. The installation was carried out through a partnership involving Franky Comprehensive Secondary School and Global Youth Strategy on Air Pollution and Climate Health (GYS). According to Elvis Ndikum, founder and chair of GYS, schools are one of the most effective places to build long-term public awareness around respiratory health. Discussing asthma prevalence among adolescents, he points to air pollution as an environmental hazard that is often overlooked, even though children are especially vulnerable to its effects. Turning invisible pollution into something students can see The AirVisual Outdoor monitor installed at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides real-time measurements of PM2.5, PM10, PM1, temperature, and humidity. The campus’s station profile data can be viewed online on IQAir’s live air quality map and mobile app, allowing students, staff, families, and the wider community to follow local air conditions throughout the day. That kind of visibility changes the role air quality plays in school and community life. When students see PM2.5 levels rise on hazy days and drop again after rainfall, air pollution stops being abstract. It becomes something observable and immediate—something that helps explain why some days feel different than others, and why health protection might need to change with conditions. For many students, this may be the first time local air quality has felt tangible. It also creates a local baseline of publicly visible air quality data—something that can support awareness now and stronger health and policy conversations over time. Filling a major monitoring gap in Cameroon Cameroon has a population of roughly 29 million people, yet public access to real-time air quality monitoring has historically been very limited. That makes it harder for communities to understand exposure risks, for researchers to build evidence, and for decision-makers to respond effectively. In that context, the new campus station is significant far beyond the school itself. It adds a new source of publicly visible data in a country where monitoring coverage remains sparse—and where limited data can make pollution risks harder to quantify and address. The project shows how local organizations and educational institutions can help close critical data gaps—not only by hosting equipment, but by making air quality part of community awareness. In doing so, the project helps build a stronger culture of attention around air quality and respiratory health. The local partnership driving the project The project’s strength lies in its core collaborative partnership. GYS helps position air pollution not just as an environmental topic, but as a youth and public-health issue. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides a place where monitoring can directly support awareness, learning, and daily decision-making. Together, they have created a model that shows what school-based air quality visibility can look like in practice, connecting local public-health awareness with broader efforts to expand access to air quality data. A first step with wider meaning The station at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is an important first step, but its significance lies in what it could lead to next. As more schools gain access to monitoring, the benefits can extend outward: stronger awareness, more localized data, better public understanding, and a clearer picture of air quality over time. For Cameroon, this project shows that even a single campus installation can begin to shift how communities understand the air around them. That matters because the first step in responding to air pollution is often the same everywhere: making local conditions visible. Conclusion Cameroon’s first campus air quality monitor shows how local leadership can turn air pollution from an unseen risk into something communities can observe, understand, and respond to. The installation is part of IQAir’s Schools4Earth initiative to expand access to air quality monitoring in educational communities. Through Schools4Earth, IQAir supports school-based monitoring projects that help students and teachers understand local air quality conditions while contributing to broader public visibility. In Cameroon, that framework helped support a project already rooted in local health awareness and community engagement. At Franky Comprehensive Secondary School, students and teachers now have access to real-time air quality information in a setting where that knowledge can shape awareness early and locally. The project highlights the role schools can play not only in education, but also in building the public-health visibility that stronger air quality action requires.","

In Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, students at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School now have access to something most schools in the country have never had before: real-time air quality data from their own campus.

Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is home to Cameroon’s first campus-based real-time air quality monitoring station. This is an important step in a country where public access to pollution data has long been limited. At the time of installation, the station was among a small number of sites in Cameroon providing real-time air quality data—and the first to be installed on a school campus.

Why a school was the right place to begin

Air pollution is often discussed at the level of cities, countries, or global health reports. But for children, it is also deeply local. It affects the air they breathe on the way to school, during outdoor activities, and throughout the school day. That local reality is one reason the project began on a campus.

The installation was carried out through a partnership involving Franky Comprehensive Secondary School and Global Youth Strategy on Air Pollution and Climate Health (GYS).

According to Elvis Ndikum, founder and chair of GYS, schools are one of the most effective places to build long-term public awareness around respiratory health. Discussing asthma prevalence among adolescents, he points to air pollution as an environmental hazard that is often overlooked, even though children are especially vulnerable to its effects.

Turning invisible pollution into something students can see

The AirVisual Outdoor monitor installed at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides real-time measurements of PM2.5, PM10, PM1, temperature, and humidity.

The campus’s station profile data can be viewed online on IQAir’s live air quality map and mobile app, allowing students, staff, families, and the wider community to follow local air conditions throughout the day.

That kind of visibility changes the role air quality plays in school and community life. When students see PM2.5 levels rise on hazy days and drop again after rainfall, air pollution stops being abstract. It becomes something observable and immediate—something that helps explain why some days feel different than others, and why health protection might need to change with conditions.

For many students, this may be the first time local air quality has felt tangible. It also creates a local baseline of publicly visible air quality data—something that can support awareness now and stronger health and policy conversations over time.

Filling a major monitoring gap in Cameroon

Cameroon has a population of roughly 29 million people, yet public access to real-time air quality monitoring has historically been very limited. That makes it harder for communities to understand exposure risks, for researchers to build evidence, and for decision-makers to respond effectively.

In that context, the new campus station is significant far beyond the school itself. It adds a new source of publicly visible data in a country where monitoring coverage remains sparse—and where limited data can make pollution risks harder to quantify and address.

The project shows how local organizations and educational institutions can help close critical data gaps—not only by hosting equipment, but by making air quality part of community awareness. In doing so, the project helps build a stronger culture of attention around air quality and respiratory health.

The local partnership driving the project

The project’s strength lies in its core collaborative partnership. GYS helps position air pollution not just as an environmental topic, but as a youth and public-health issue. Franky Comprehensive Secondary School provides a place where monitoring can directly support awareness, learning, and daily decision-making. Together, they have created a model that shows what school-based air quality visibility can look like in practice, connecting local public-health awareness with broader efforts to expand access to air quality data.

A first step with wider meaning

The station at Franky Comprehensive Secondary School is an important first step, but its significance lies in what it could lead to next.

As more schools gain access to monitoring, the benefits can extend outward: stronger awareness, more localized data, better public understanding, and a clearer picture of air quality over time. For Cameroon, this project shows that even a single campus installation can begin to shift how communities understand the air around them.

That matters because the first step in responding to air pollution is often the same everywhere: making local conditions visible.

Conclusion

Cameroon’s first campus air quality monitor shows how local leadership can turn air pollution from an unseen risk into something communities can observe, understand, and respond to.

The installation is part of IQAir’s Schools4Earth initiative to expand access to air quality monitoring in educational communities. Through Schools4Earth, IQAir supports school-based monitoring projects that help students and teachers understand local air quality conditions while contributing to broader public visibility. In Cameroon, that framework helped support a project already rooted in local health awareness and community engagement.

At Franky Comprehensive Secondary School, students and teachers now have access to real-time air quality information in a setting where that knowledge can shape awareness early and locally. The project highlights the role schools can play not only in education, but also in building the public-health visibility that stronger air quality action requires.

","revealing-the-invisible-campus-air-quality-monitoring-cameroon","gid://shopify/Article/1000900952438","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-campus-air-quality-monitoring-cameroon","2026-04-22T17:38:02Z",[643,1365,648],"Featured articles","Revealing the Invisible: Campus air quality monitoring in Cameroon",{"_10":1368,"_243":-5,"_246":1369,"_248":1370,"_244":1371},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414739464566","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/A_88a6fab2-72f4-4a7d-89e3-e1e4587baadc.jpg?v=1776879489",839,674,{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1373,"_1115":1374,"_1131":1375,"_1133":1376,"_1135":1377,"_1137":1378,"_985":1379,"_10":1380,"_1141":1381,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1382,"_577":1383,"_541":1384,"_1148":1385},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out whether running an air purifier all day is necessary, safe, and worth it for cleaner indoor air.","

Find out whether running an air purifier all day is necessary, safe, and worth it for cleaner indoor air.

","In most cases, yes. If your goal is to reduce all and any exposure to air pollution, running an air purifier throughout the day is the most effective approach. That’s because indoor air pollution is not a one-time event. Dust settles and gets stirred up again, cooking releases particles and gases, outdoor pollution seeps indoors, and people and pets continuously add new pollutants to the air. Running your air purifier continuously is one of the most effective ways to reduce many common airborne pollutants, including dust, allergens, smoke particles, some airborne microbes carried in droplets or aerosols, and—if the purifier includes the right gas-phase media—certain odors and VOCs. Modern air purifiers are generally designed for continuous operation. Many models also include quieter settings, automatic modes, or smart sensors that help balance air cleaning with energy use and noise. Why continuous operation is best for air quality Indoor air can contain higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air, due to poor ventilation, off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products, pet dander, and outdoor pollution seeping indoors. Even after you clean a room once, new pollutants keep entering and forming—so turning a purifier off for long stretches often means you’re letting the room “reload.” Unlike intermittent use, which allows pollutants to accumulate between cycles, all-day operation ensures that contaminants like PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller – are constantly filtered out, providing consistent protection. This is especially true in urban areas, near busy roads, or during wildfire and high-pollution events. Energy, noise, and maintenance considerations Running an air purifier all day does use electricity, but many modern units are designed to do so efficiently—especially on lower or auto settings. In real life, operating cost depends on the model, fan speed, and how many hours per day it runs. Noise also matters. Most high-quality purifiers are quiet enough for everyday use on lower settings, which is why many people run them continuously in bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices. During smoke events or high-pollution periods, a higher fan speed may be worth the extra sound because it helps reduce particle levels more quickly. Continuous use can also mean filters load faster. That’s normal. The tradeoff is straightforward: more run time usually means cleaner air, but also more consistent maintenance. The best approach is to follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidance or filter-life indicator rather than guessing. When you might adjust your approach While all-day use is ideal, there are a few scenarios where you might adjust: Low-pollution periods: If outdoor air quality is excellent and your home is well-ventilated, you can run the purifier intermittently or use an automated mode to conserve energy. Unoccupied rooms: If a room is rarely used, you can turn the purifier off or set it to a lower fan speed. Budget constraints: If energy use is a concern, prioritize the rooms where you spend the most time—especially bedrooms and main living spaces—and use lower or automatic settings when pollution levels are lower. Best practices for all-day air purifier use For best results, place your air purifier where air can move freely around it and avoid blocking it with furniture or walls. In bedrooms, many people prefer to place the unit a few feet from the bed, so the airflow isn’t directed straight at them. If your air purifier has an automatic or smart mode, use it. These settings can raise fan speed when pollution increases and lower it when air is cleaner, helping balance performance, noise, and energy use. During wildfire smoke or heavy outdoor pollution, keep windows and doors closed so you’re not constantly pulling new contaminants into the room. And to maintain performance over time, replace filters according to the manufacturer’s guidance or the system’s filter-life indicator. Frequently Asked Questions Is it safe to run an air purifier all day?Yes, most modern filtration-based air purifiers are designed for continuous operation. Choose a model that does not intentionally generate ozone, keep airflow unobstructed, and follow routine maintenance guidance to keep performance steady. Will running an air purifier all day increase my electricity bill?The impact is usually minimal. Energy-efficient air purifiers often cost only a few dollars per month to run continuously, and automatic or smart modes can further reduce energy use by lowering fan speed as needed. Can I run an air purifier in my bedroom overnight?Yes. Many people run air purifiers overnight, often on a lower or quieter setting. Place the unit a few feet from the bed to avoid direct airflow and minimize noise disruption. Do I need to run an air purifier if I have good ventilation?Even with good ventilation, indoor air can still contain pollutants from cooking, cleaning, pets, and outdoor sources. An air purifier adds an extra layer of protection, especially in urban or high-traffic areas. Conclusion If you want your indoor air to stay cleaner, it usually makes sense to leave your air purifier on throughout the day. Indoor pollution is constantly entering, forming, and being stirred back into the air—even when a room looks clean. For most households, the best strategy is simple: run the purifier consistently, place it well, maintain the filters, and increase fan speed during smoke, traffic, or other high-pollution periods. Clean air is easiest to maintain when you treat it as an ongoing condition—not a one-time fix.","

In most cases, yes. If your goal is to reduce all and any exposure to air pollution, running an air purifier throughout the day is the most effective approach.

That’s because indoor air pollution is not a one-time event. Dust settles and gets stirred up again, cooking releases particles and gases, outdoor pollution seeps indoors, and people and pets continuously add new pollutants to the air. Running your air purifier continuously is one of the most effective ways to reduce many common airborne pollutants, including dust, allergens, smoke particles, some airborne microbes carried in droplets or aerosols, and—if the purifier includes the right gas-phase media—certain odors and VOCs.

Modern air purifiers are generally designed for continuous operation. Many models also include quieter settings, automatic modes, or smart sensors that help balance air cleaning with energy use and noise.

Why continuous operation is best for air quality

Indoor air can contain higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air, due to poor ventilation, off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products, pet dander, and outdoor pollution seeping indoors. Even after you clean a room once, new pollutants keep entering and forming—so turning a purifier off for long stretches often means you’re letting the room “reload.”

Unlike intermittent use, which allows pollutants to accumulate between cycles, all-day operation ensures that contaminants like PM2.5 – particulate matter measuring 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller – are constantly filtered out, providing consistent protection. This is especially true in urban areas, near busy roads, or during wildfire and high-pollution events.

Energy, noise, and maintenance considerations

Running an air purifier all day does use electricity, but many modern units are designed to do so efficiently—especially on lower or auto settings. In real life, operating cost depends on the model, fan speed, and how many hours per day it runs.

Noise also matters. Most high-quality purifiers are quiet enough for everyday use on lower settings, which is why many people run them continuously in bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices. During smoke events or high-pollution periods, a higher fan speed may be worth the extra sound because it helps reduce particle levels more quickly.

Continuous use can also mean filters load faster. That’s normal. The tradeoff is straightforward: more run time usually means cleaner air, but also more consistent maintenance. The best approach is to follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidance or filter-life indicator rather than guessing.

When you might adjust your approach

While all-day use is ideal, there are a few scenarios where you might adjust:

\nLow-pollution periods: If outdoor air quality is excellent and your home is well-ventilated, you can run the purifier intermittently or use an automated mode to conserve energy.
\nUnoccupied rooms: If a room is rarely used, you can turn the purifier off or set it to a lower fan speed.
\nBudget constraints: If energy use is a concern, prioritize the rooms where you spend the most time—especially bedrooms and main living spaces—and use lower or automatic settings when pollution levels are lower.
\n

Best practices for all-day air purifier use

For best results, place your air purifier where air can move freely around it and avoid blocking it with furniture or walls. In bedrooms, many people prefer to place the unit a few feet from the bed, so the airflow isn’t directed straight at them.

If your air purifier has an automatic or smart mode, use it. These settings can raise fan speed when pollution increases and lower it when air is cleaner, helping balance performance, noise, and energy use.

During wildfire smoke or heavy outdoor pollution, keep windows and doors closed so you’re not constantly pulling new contaminants into the room. And to maintain performance over time, replace filters according to the manufacturer’s guidance or the system’s filter-life indicator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to run an air purifier all day?
Yes, most modern filtration-based air purifiers are designed for continuous operation. Choose a model that does not intentionally generate ozone, keep airflow unobstructed, and follow routine maintenance guidance to keep performance steady.

Will running an air purifier all day increase my electricity bill?
The impact is usually minimal. Energy-efficient air purifiers often cost only a few dollars per month to run continuously, and automatic or smart modes can further reduce energy use by lowering fan speed as needed.

Can I run an air purifier in my bedroom overnight?
Yes. Many people run air purifiers overnight, often on a lower or quieter setting. Place the unit a few feet from the bed to avoid direct airflow and minimize noise disruption.

Do I need to run an air purifier if I have good ventilation?
Even with good ventilation, indoor air can still contain pollutants from cooking, cleaning, pets, and outdoor sources. An air purifier adds an extra layer of protection, especially in urban or high-traffic areas.

Conclusion

If you want your indoor air to stay cleaner, it usually makes sense to leave your air purifier on throughout the day. Indoor pollution is constantly entering, forming, and being stirred back into the air—even when a room looks clean.

For most households, the best strategy is simple: run the purifier consistently, place it well, maintain the filters, and increase fan speed during smoke, traffic, or other high-pollution periods. Clean air is easiest to maintain when you treat it as an ongoing condition—not a one-time fix.

","should-you-leave-an-air-purifier-on-all-day","gid://shopify/Article/1000802746742","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/should-you-leave-an-air-purifier-on-all-day","2026-04-21T06:00:00Z",[853,1365],"Should you leave an air purifier on all day?",{"_10":1386,"_243":1387,"_246":1388,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414733304182","Air purifer in living room","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/ShouldYouLeaveAirPurifierOn_Desk_3056c115-415f-48a5-a861-e48d89427895.jpg?v=1776870059","latest",[1391,1409,1426,1442,1458,1474],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1392,"_1115":1393,"_1131":1394,"_1133":1395,"_1135":1396,"_1137":1397,"_985":1398,"_10":1399,"_1141":1400,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1401,"_577":1402,"_541":1404,"_1148":1405},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out more about the Pineland Road Fire and its impact on communities in southern Georgia.","

Find out more about the Pineland Road Fire and its impact on communities in southern Georgia.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? As of April 23, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire is burning in southern Georgia across Clinch and Echols regions. The fire is located approximately 5 miles west of Colon Road and Mud Camp Pineland Road, near Highway 441 and close to the Suwannee River at the boundary between the two regions (1). Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire? The cities and areas affected by the Pineland Road Fire include: Colon Echols region Fargo Highway area Needmore Regions near Headlight Road Regions near Tiger Lake Road Regions near Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road What is the current containment status of the Pineland Road Fire? As of April 23, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire has burned approximately 30,477 acres and is about 10% contained. Firefighting crews continue suppression efforts under challenging conditions, including drought, low humidity, and strong winds (2). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? Evacuation alerts remain in place for residents living near Highway 441 between Headlight Road and Tiger Lake Road, as well as areas east of Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road. While no mandatory evacuation order has been issued, officials have urged residents to stay prepared to leave quickly if conditions worsen. Emergency alerts have advised residents to monitor updates, prepare essential items, and follow instructions from local authorities as fire behavior may shift rapidly (3). How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. As of April 23, 2026, this fire is 10% contained.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

As of April 23, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire is burning in southern Georgia across Clinch and Echols regions.

The fire is located approximately 5 miles west of Colon Road and Mud Camp Pineland Road, near Highway 441 and close to the Suwannee River at the boundary between the two regions (1).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The cities and areas affected by the Pineland Road Fire include:

Colon
Echols region
Fargo Highway area
Needmore
Regions near Headlight Road
Regions near Tiger Lake Road
Regions near Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road

What is the current containment status of the Pineland Road Fire?

As of April 23, 2026, the Pineland Road Fire has burned approximately 30,477 acres and is about 10% contained.

Firefighting crews continue suppression efforts under challenging conditions, including drought, low humidity, and strong winds (2).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

Evacuation alerts remain in place for residents living near Highway 441 between Headlight Road and Tiger Lake Road, as well as areas east of Will Rewis Road and Barnes Road.

While no mandatory evacuation order has been issued, officials have urged residents to stay prepared to leave quickly if conditions worsen.

Emergency alerts have advised residents to monitor updates, prepare essential items, and follow instructions from local authorities as fire behavior may shift rapidly (3).

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

As of April 23, 2026, this fire is 10% contained.

","wildfire-map-spotlight-pineland-road-fire-georgia","gid://shopify/Article/1001134391670","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-pineland-road-fire-georgia","2026-04-23T14:45:46Z",[390,638,663,1403],"Wildfires","Wildfire Map Spotlight: Pineland Road Fire, Georgia",{"_10":1406,"_243":1407,"_246":1408,"_248":1370,"_244":1371},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414782783862","Wildfire engulfs a dense forest","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire9Desktop_dcac3133-2442-4e61-a2e3-e93717d6b653.jpg?v=1776955719",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1410,"_1115":1411,"_1131":1412,"_1133":1413,"_1135":1414,"_1137":1415,"_985":1416,"_10":1417,"_1141":1418,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1419,"_577":1420,"_541":1421,"_1148":1422},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Find out more about the extreme heatwave affecting multiple regions across India as temperatures continue to rise across the country.","

Find out more about the extreme heatwave affecting multiple regions across India as temperatures continue to rise across the country.

","Why is there a heatwave in India? As of April 23, 2026, India is experiencing widespread extreme heat across northern, central, and eastern regions, with Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi reporting dangerously high temperatures (1). According to recent reports, 19 of the world’s 20 hottest cities are currently located in India. Among the hardest-hit locations are Bhagalpur in Bihar, Talcher in Odisha, Asansol in West Bengal, and Medinipur in West Bengal. The current heatwave is being fueled by a combination of weather and climate factors. Strong pre-monsoon solar heating is rapidly warming land surfaces. Cloudless skies are also allowing prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Reduced winter snowfall across the Himalayas and parts of Eurasia has also contributed to higher temperatures by reducing natural cooling effects. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds are suppressing rainfall across large parts of the country. Shifting Pacific Ocean patterns and ENSO-neutral conditions are further weakening cooling weather systems, allowing extreme temperatures to persist for longer periods. Areas near the Himalayan region are also experiencing abnormal warming due to reduced snow cover, while eastern plains near Nepal’s Lumbini region are facing similar extreme heat conditions (2). How long will the heatwave last? The current heat event began intensifying after April 20, 2026, as temperatures rose sharply across multiple regions. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are expected to continue through at least April 26 to April 27 in several states. Some areas may not experience meaningful relief until later in the month as pre-monsoon weather activity increases. Heatwave conditions are expected to persist across: Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana through April 24–25 West Uttar Pradesh through April 23–25 East Uttar Pradesh through April 22–26 Rajasthan through April 24–26 Madhya Pradesh through April 23–26 Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh through April 24–27 Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through April 22–23 Southern coastal regions, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and coastal Karnataka, are also expected to experience prolonged hot and humid weather conditions (3). Are there any alerts in place? The India Meteorological Department has issued multiple heat-related alerts across affected regions as temperatures continue to rise. Yellow alerts remain in place in several states where heat exposure poses moderate health risks, particularly for children, older adults, and individuals with existing medical conditions. Orange alerts have also been issued in areas facing a higher risk of heat-related illness due to prolonged exposure. Delhi remains under a yellow alert through April 24, while severe heat advisories continue across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of eastern India. At this time, no evacuation orders or emergency shelters have been reported in connection with the heatwave. Health officials are advising residents to take precautions, including staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, wearing lightweight clothing, and recognizing signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Officials have also warned about unusually warm nighttime temperatures in Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, and Konkan. These warmer nights may increase health risks by limiting the body’s ability to recover from prolonged daytime heat exposure (4).","

Why is there a heatwave in India?

As of April 23, 2026, India is experiencing widespread extreme heat across northern, central, and eastern regions, with Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi reporting dangerously high temperatures (1).

According to recent reports, 19 of the world’s 20 hottest cities are currently located in India. Among the hardest-hit locations are Bhagalpur in Bihar, Talcher in Odisha, Asansol in West Bengal, and Medinipur in West Bengal.

The current heatwave is being fueled by a combination of weather and climate factors. Strong pre-monsoon solar heating is rapidly warming land surfaces. Cloudless skies are also allowing prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Reduced winter snowfall across the Himalayas and parts of Eurasia has also contributed to higher temperatures by reducing natural cooling effects. At the same time, hot and dry northwesterly winds are suppressing rainfall across large parts of the country.

Shifting Pacific Ocean patterns and ENSO-neutral conditions are further weakening cooling weather systems, allowing extreme temperatures to persist for longer periods.

Areas near the Himalayan region are also experiencing abnormal warming due to reduced snow cover, while eastern plains near Nepal’s Lumbini region are facing similar extreme heat conditions (2).

How long will the heatwave last?

The current heat event began intensifying after April 20, 2026, as temperatures rose sharply across multiple regions.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave conditions are expected to continue through at least April 26 to April 27 in several states. Some areas may not experience meaningful relief until later in the month as pre-monsoon weather activity increases.

Heatwave conditions are expected to persist across:

\nDelhi, Punjab, and Haryana through April 24–25
West Uttar Pradesh through April 23–25
East Uttar Pradesh through April 22–26
\nRajasthan through April 24–26
\nMadhya Pradesh through April 23–26
Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh through April 24–27
\nBihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through April 22–23

Southern coastal regions, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and coastal Karnataka, are also expected to experience prolonged hot and humid weather conditions (3).

Are there any alerts in place?

The India Meteorological Department has issued multiple heat-related alerts across affected regions as temperatures continue to rise.

Yellow alerts remain in place in several states where heat exposure poses moderate health risks, particularly for children, older adults, and individuals with existing medical conditions.

Orange alerts have also been issued in areas facing a higher risk of heat-related illness due to prolonged exposure.

Delhi remains under a yellow alert through April 24, while severe heat advisories continue across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of eastern India.

At this time, no evacuation orders or emergency shelters have been reported in connection with the heatwave.

Health officials are advising residents to take precautions, including staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, wearing lightweight clothing, and recognizing signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Officials have also warned about unusually warm nighttime temperatures in Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, and Konkan. These warmer nights may increase health risks by limiting the body’s ability to recover from prolonged daytime heat exposure (4).

","heatwave-map-spotlight-northern-central-and-eastern-india","gid://shopify/Article/1001168863606","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/heatwave-map-spotlight-northern-central-and-eastern-india","2026-04-23T09:16:54Z",[390,638],"Heatwave Map Spotlight: Northern, Central, and Eastern India",{"_10":1423,"_243":1424,"_246":1425,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414755193206","A man wipes sweat from his face under the scorching sun.","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Heatwave2Desktop_201f1ef3-3ac0-4fcd-86f6-216c4a5b07b3.jpg?v=1776936733",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1427,"_1115":1428,"_1131":1429,"_1133":1430,"_1135":1431,"_1137":1432,"_985":1433,"_10":1434,"_1141":1435,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1436,"_577":1437,"_541":1438,"_1148":1439},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Wildfires spread across Brantley County in Georgia, burning structures and causing road closures. Learn more about what is causing the Georgia wildfires.","

Wildfires spread across Brantley County in Georgia, burning structures and causing road closures. Learn more about what is causing the Georgia wildfires.

","What is the name and location of the wildfire? On April 23, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fire is burning in southeastern region of Georgia, neighboring the northern Florida border. The fire is located just off U.S. Highway 82 near the Brantley County line, bordering Glynn County and spreading into Camden County (1)(2). Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire? The Brantley Highway 82 wildfire has spread across multiple highways, neighborhoods, and communities, including (3)(4): Atkinson Waynesville Happy Hollow U.S. Highway 82 area, from Nahunta to Post Road Highway 110 West, near Camden County line Highway 259, near Camden County line What is the current containment status of the Brantley Highway 82 Fire? On April 23, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fires has burned approximately 4,438 acres and is about 15% contained. Brantley County, Glynn County, and Effingham County Fire Rescue teams have been working together to contain the wildfire and stop the spread to neighboring communities. Glynn County issued a temporary outdoor burn ban, prohibiting outdoor fires ignited by residents such as fireworks and bonfire pits, to prevent additional wildfires (5)(6). Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place? Mandatory evacuation orders for several neighborhoods and communities have been issued all throughout Brantley County, including Happy Hollow, Hawks Landing, and Drury Court. Those needing to evacuate are directed to use Highway 32 for safety. Various neighboring cities are on wildfire watch as winds continue to carry smoke throughout the state. On April 22, 2026, all Brantley County schools will be closed due to the wildfire breaching containment. Shelters are open to the public through various churches in the Nahunta and Hortense region, providing food and water to locals in need. Residents in neighboring cities on wildfire watch alert are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and monitor fire updates and alerts (7). How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. On April 23, 2026, this fire is 15% contained.","

What is the name and location of the wildfire?

On April 23, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fire is burning in southeastern region of Georgia, neighboring the northern Florida border.

The fire is located just off U.S. Highway 82 near the Brantley County line, bordering Glynn County and spreading into Camden County (1)(2).

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The Brantley Highway 82 wildfire has spread across multiple highways, neighborhoods, and communities, including (3)(4):

Atkinson
Waynesville
Happy Hollow
U.S. Highway 82 area, from Nahunta to Post Road
Highway 110 West, near Camden County line
Highway 259, near Camden County line

What is the current containment status of the Brantley Highway 82 Fire?

On April 23, 2026, the Brantley Highway 82 Fires has burned approximately 4,438 acres and is about 15% contained.

Brantley County, Glynn County, and Effingham County Fire Rescue teams have been working together to contain the wildfire and stop the spread to neighboring communities. Glynn County issued a temporary outdoor burn ban, prohibiting outdoor fires ignited by residents such as fireworks and bonfire pits, to prevent additional wildfires (5)(6).

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

Mandatory evacuation orders for several neighborhoods and communities have been issued all throughout Brantley County, including Happy Hollow, Hawks Landing, and Drury Court. Those needing to evacuate are directed to use Highway 32 for safety. Various neighboring cities are on wildfire watch as winds continue to carry smoke throughout the state.

On April 22, 2026, all Brantley County schools will be closed due to the wildfire breaching containment. Shelters are open to the public through various churches in the Nahunta and Hortense region, providing food and water to locals in need. Residents in neighboring cities on wildfire watch alert are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and monitor fire updates and alerts (7).

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n

On April 23, 2026, this fire is 15% contained.

","wildfire-map-spotlight-brantley-highway-82-fire-georgia","gid://shopify/Article/1001165488502","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/wildfire-map-spotlight-brantley-highway-82-fire-georgia","2026-04-23T06:05:05Z",[390,638,1403],"Wildfire Map Spotlight: Brantley Highway 82 Fire, Georgia",{"_10":1440,"_243":-5,"_246":1441,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414749032822","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/Wildfire2Desktop_ed8add4d-09ce-4de8-8f3b-6bac79756680.jpg?v=1776924308",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1443,"_1115":1444,"_1131":1445,"_1133":1446,"_1135":1447,"_1137":1448,"_985":1449,"_10":1450,"_1141":1451,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1452,"_577":1453,"_541":1454,"_1148":1455},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"China grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.","

China grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.

","Is the air quality good in China? As of April 23, 2026, air quality in China remains poor, with some of the major cities experiencing air quality in the \"unhealthy\" range and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly. By 1:30 PM (Chinese Standard Time, GMT+8), several urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 200, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors. While conditions remain poor, China’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2025 was 29.6 µg/m3, equivalent to an AQI of 87, classified as \"moderate\". This level is nearly 5.92 times higher than the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m3, placing China among the world’s 20 most polluted countries in 2025. Air quality map of China and neighboring countries as of 1:30 PM (CST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir. Which cities are affected by bad air quality in China? As of April 23, 2026, several major cities across China are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include: Aksu Beijing Jinchang Kashgar Lanzhou Puer Yinchuan Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see China's air quality map. Beijing ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of 1:30 PM (CST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir. When will the air quality improve in China? With spring now underway, the end of the coal-fired heating season should bring some relief, as heating-related emissions begin to ease. However, March and April bring their own challenge: this period has the highest frequency of sand and dust weather, with storms primarily originating from Mongolia, capable of spiking PM10 concentrations several fold. More sustained improvement is expected by late April to May, as warmer temperatures, stronger winds, and spring rainfall help disperse pollutants. Lasting progress still depends on continued emission controls and cleaner energy adoption (1). What is causing poor air quality in China? The root causes of air pollution in China include dependence on fossil fuels, coal combustion, biomass burning, traffic and waste incineration emission, industrial pollution, and soil dust, with coal and other fossil fuels exploited despite renewable investments (2). In spring (March-May), pollution persists due to frequent dust storms from the Gobi Desert, Taklimakan Desert, and Inner Mongolian Plateau, causing sudden PM10 spikes. Higher temperature and humidity levels rise, and winds contribute to the smog by carrying pollutants from industrialized regions. Resuspended road dust from construction and urbanization, and transboundary pollution also contribute. Meteorological conditions favor the mobilization and transport of dust in spring (3). How can I protect myself from poor air quality? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.","

Is the air quality good in China?

As of April 23, 2026, air quality in China remains poor, with some of the major cities experiencing air quality in the \"unhealthy\" range and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly.

By 1:30 PM (Chinese Standard Time, GMT+8), several urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 200, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors.

While conditions remain poor, China’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2025 was 29.6 µg/m3, equivalent to an AQI of 87, classified as \"moderate\". This level is nearly 5.92 times higher than the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m3, placing China among the world’s 20 most polluted countries in 2025.

$\"\"$ Air quality map of China and neighboring countries as of 1:30 PM (CST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir.

Which cities are affected by bad air quality in China?

As of April 23, 2026, several major cities across China are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include:

Aksu
Beijing
Jinchang
Kashgar
Lanzhou
Puer
Yinchuan

Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see China's air quality map.

$\"\"$ Beijing ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of 1:30 PM (CST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will the air quality improve in China?

With spring now underway, the end of the coal-fired heating season should bring some relief, as heating-related emissions begin to ease. However, March and April bring their own challenge: this period has the highest frequency of sand and dust weather, with storms primarily originating from Mongolia, capable of spiking PM10 concentrations several fold.

More sustained improvement is expected by late April to May, as warmer temperatures, stronger winds, and spring rainfall help disperse pollutants. Lasting progress still depends on continued emission controls and cleaner energy adoption (1).

What is causing poor air quality in China?

The root causes of air pollution in China include dependence on fossil fuels, coal combustion, biomass burning, traffic and waste incineration emission, industrial pollution, and soil dust, with coal and other fossil fuels exploited despite renewable investments (2).

In spring (March-May), pollution persists due to frequent dust storms from the Gobi Desert, Taklimakan Desert, and Inner Mongolian Plateau, causing sudden PM10 spikes. Higher temperature and humidity levels rise, and winds contribute to the smog by carrying pollutants from industrialized regions.

Resuspended road dust from construction and urbanization, and transboundary pollution also contribute. Meteorological conditions favor the mobilization and transport of dust in spring (3).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.

","china-air-quality-alert","gid://shopify/Article/999656948086","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/china-air-quality-alert","2026-04-23T05:30:23Z",[390,638],"China Air Quality Alert",{"_10":1456,"_243":-5,"_246":1457,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414748639606","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/BeijingDesktop_bc51c3b5-6b87-4b64-b0ee-e36d75f0f16e.jpg?v=1776922227",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1459,"_1115":1460,"_1131":1461,"_1133":1462,"_1135":1463,"_1137":1464,"_985":1465,"_10":1466,"_1141":1467,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1468,"_577":1469,"_541":1470,"_1148":1471},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Pakistan grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.","

Pakistan grapples with unhealthy air pollution, affecting major cities and public health. Learn more about the impacted regions, underlying causes, and expected improvements.

","Is the air quality good in Pakistan? As of April 23, 2026, air quality in some parts of Pakistan remains poor, with major cities experiencing \"unhealthy\" to \"hazardous\" levels and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly. By 9:30 AM (Pakistan Standard Time, GMT+5), some urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 400, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors. While conditions remain poor, Pakistan’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2025 was 67.3 µg/m3, equivalent to an AQI of 156, classified as “unhealthy.” This level is nearly 14 times higher than the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m3, making Pakistan the most polluted country. Air quality map of Pakistan and neighboring countries, as of 9:30 AM (PST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir. Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Pakistan? As of April 23, 2026, several major cities across Pakistan are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include: Bahawalpur Faisalabad Khanewal Lahore Sargodha Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see Pakistan's air quality map. Lahore ranked among the world's most polluted major cities as of 9:30 AM (PST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir. When will the air quality improve in Pakistan? Short-term improvements depend on weather. Wind, rain, and stronger mixing can lower concentrations within days. In spring (March-May), as temperatures increase, hot air rises and cooler air sinks, easing pollution. However, early spring may still have stagnant air, low winds, and high temperatures trapping pollutants like PM2.5. Full relief comes with the monsoon season (June-September), which washes away pollutants (1). Lasting improvement requires policy action and seasonal controls. Without those, severe episodes are likely to recur (2). What is causing poor air quality in Pakistan? The root causes of air pollution in Pakistan include industrial emissions, vehicular exhausts, agricultural practices like overuse of fertilizers and crop residue burning, biomass and waste burning, domestic fires, and urbanization (3). In spring (March-May), pollution persists due to resuspended road dust from construction and urbanization, high temperatures accompanied by little wind and stagnant air trapping particulate matter, and high density of pollen particles and allergens. Residual effects from winter stubble burning and transboundary pollution from neighboring regions also contribute (4). How can I protect myself from poor air quality? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.","

Is the air quality good in Pakistan?

As of April 23, 2026, air quality in some parts of Pakistan remains poor, with major cities experiencing \"unhealthy\" to \"hazardous \" levels and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly.

By 9:30 AM (Pakistan Standard Time, GMT+5), some urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 400, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors.

While conditions remain poor, Pakistan’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2025 was 67.3 µg/m³, equivalent to an AQI of 156, classified as “unhealthy.” This level is nearly 14 times higher than the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³, making Pakistan the most polluted country.

$\"\"$ Air quality map of Pakistan and neighboring countries, as of 9:30 AM (PST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir.

Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Pakistan?

As of April 23, 2026, several major cities across Pakistan are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include:

Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see Pakistan's air quality map.

$\"\"$ Lahore ranked among the world's most polluted major cities as of 9:30 AM (PST) on April 23, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will the air quality improve in Pakistan?

Short-term improvements depend on weather. Wind, rain, and stronger mixing can lower concentrations within days. In spring (March-May), as temperatures increase, hot air rises and cooler air sinks, easing pollution. However, early spring may still have stagnant air, low winds, and high temperatures trapping pollutants like PM2.5.

Full relief comes with the monsoon season (June-September), which washes away pollutants (1). Lasting improvement requires policy action and seasonal controls. Without those, severe episodes are likely to recur (2).

What is causing poor air quality in Pakistan?

The root causes of air pollution in Pakistan include industrial emissions, vehicular exhausts, agricultural practices like overuse of fertilizers and crop residue burning, biomass and waste burning, domestic fires, and urbanization (3).

In spring (March-May), pollution persists due to resuspended road dust from construction and urbanization, high temperatures accompanied by little wind and stagnant air trapping particulate matter, and high density of pollen particles and allergens. Residual effects from winter stubble burning and transboundary pollution from neighboring regions also contribute (4).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.\n
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.

","pakistan-air-quality-alert","gid://shopify/Article/999612154230","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/pakistan-air-quality-alert","2026-04-23T04:47:45Z",[390,638],"Pakistan Air Quality Alert",{"_10":1472,"_243":-5,"_246":1473,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/414748574070","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/KarachiDesktop_70cc289d-1db1-4ffd-bd39-08c257f5ab21.jpg?v=1776919669",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1475,"_1115":1476,"_1131":1356,"_1133":1357,"_1135":1358,"_1137":1359,"_985":1360,"_10":1361,"_1141":1362,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1363,"_577":1477,"_541":1366,"_1148":1478},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},[643,1365,648],{"_10":1368,"_243":-5,"_246":1369,"_248":1370,"_244":1371},"popular",[1481,1498,1514,1530],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1482,"_1115":1483,"_1131":1484,"_1133":1484,"_1135":1485,"_1137":1486,"_985":1487,"_10":1488,"_1141":1489,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1490,"_577":1491,"_541":1493,"_1148":1494},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn why wildfire smoke poses a health risk to people living far downwind and what you can do to help protect yourself.","When considering the dangers of wildfires, thoughts of fleeing your home while a raging wildfire rapidly approaches can easily consume your imagination. However, the number one cause of death from fires is smoke inhalation. The primary cause of death from wildfires is smoke inhalation. 50 to 80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation. Inhaling smoke damages your body in one or both of the following ways: by robbing it of oxygen through particulate matter irritation Smoke inhalation is particularly dangerous because you may not show symptoms until 24 to 48 hours after exposure. 50–80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.1 Read on to learn how to help protect the health of yourself and your loved ones, and learn some wildfire smoke safety tips to rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary wildfire safety precautions to reduce the consequences of toxic wildfire smoke. What’s in wildfire smoke? Wildfire smoke is a mixture of thousands of individual compounds, including harmful particles and gases that pose a severe health risk to anyone (including pets) nearby and downwind from a fire. Wildfire smoke often contains: water vapor particulate matter trace minerals carbon dioxide carbon monoxide nitrogen oxides hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide compounds that contribute to elevated ozone (O3) levels volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acrolein and formaldehyde (potent respiratory irritants) Wildfire smoke often contains fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles that can be absorbed directly into your blood stream and reach any organ or area of your body. Pictured: The typical contents of wildfire smoke, including ultrafine particles (≤ 0.3 microns), PM2.5 (2.5-10 microns), acrolein, PM10 (> 10 microns), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Source: IQAir Wildfire smoke composition depends upon multiple factors, including: the types of wood and vegetation burning the moisture content the fire temperature wind conditions other weather-related influences The primary pollutant threatening the health of those nearby and downwind of a wildfire is particulate matter. Wildfire smoke often contains fine (or PM2.5) and ultrafine particles. These tiny airborne particles are the most dangerous to your health. Fine particles (smaller than 2.5 microns) penetrate deeply into your lungs. The most dangerous are ultrafine particles (smaller than 0.1 microns), which represent 90% of all airborne particles. These particles are tiny and can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Once in your blood, they can reach any organ or area of your body. Clean the air with high-performance air filtration Learn more about our wildfire smoke air purifiers Click here Wildfire smoke and at-risk populations Most healthy adults will recover from smoke exposure. However, certain individuals are more at risk for severe health consequences, including:2 Young children. Children whose lungs are still developing are considered more vulnerable, regardless of whether they have a pre-existing condition. Pregnant women. Wildfire smoke inhalation puts pregnant women and their unborn children at a higher risk than the general population. Older adults. This population is at-risk due to an increased rate of pre-existing heart and lung disease. Anyone with a respiratory disease. Individuals with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD, asthma, or another respiratory disease are at-risk. Individuals with heart disease. Circulatory diseases include high blood pressure, vascular diseases, heart failure, and cerebrovascular conditions. These conditions make sufferers susceptible to heart attacks, transient chest pain, heart failure, stroke, and sudden death from cardiac arrhythmia. Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with respiratory and cardiovascular pre-existing conditions may find that they experience more severe symptoms and find it harder to breathe.3 The full impact of wildfire smoke is not yet fully understood. A 2017 review in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology found that there are still important study opportunities for exploring the long-term health implications of smoke exposure, smoke exposure recovery, and additional smoke inhalation health impacts for children.4 Exposure to smoke can be dangerous simply due to the microorganisms within the smoke. A 2020 study in Science magazine noted that microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke.5 The study theorizes that infectious disease may be spread as bacteria and fungi become part of smoke’s particulate composition. Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke, and infectious disease may be spread as they become part of the smoke’s particulate composition. How wildfire smoke behaves Many factors affect wildfire smoke behavior, such as: weather geographical terrain the stage of the fire wind Use the live, interactive air quality map below to see how weather, wind, and location can impact the behavior of wildfire smoke near you. Windy conditions generally cause smoke to mix with larger volumes of air to lower smoke concentrations. However, strong winds also can spread fires more quickly, causing larger fires with greater impact. Regional weather can be the dominant determinant in how a fire behaves as well as how smoke affects surrounding areas. However, regional weather systems can spread fires quickly and result in larger fires with more smoke generated, creating the potential for even greater impacts. Strong regional weather systems can also dominate a fire’s behavior for days and be the determining factor of where and how smoke will affect an area. Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe. Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.6 Wildfire safety tips Wildfire smoke events can occur seemingly without warning. But there are steps you can take to prepare yourself using appropriate safety precautions for wildfires. Keep the air clean in your home. Keep windows and doors closed closed and seal off any openings to the outside, including vents, to help prevent outdoor smoke from getting in. When using an air conditioner, be sure to set it to re-circulate and close the fresh-air intake. Filter the air when ventilating the space. An air purifier for wildfire smoke, will help remove smoke particles of all sizes down to 0.003 microns from the indoor air and help control ozone levels. This is critical if you live in an urban area downwind (even remotely) from wildfires. Stay indoors as much as possible. This tactic is most useful in buildings that effectively stop outdoor air from getting inside. If you need to travel by car to leave or evacuate an area affected by wildfire smoke, use a car air purifier to help keep your vehicle interior air clean as you pass through smoky or polluted areas. You can also use a portable, personal air purifier to access clean air where other air filtration systems are not available. Wear a mask outdoors. Only use an air pollution mask with an N95, KN95, N100, or FFP2 rating to help. Avoid activities that further pollute the indoor air. Avoid burning candles, using the fireplace, or even vacuuming unless you own a high-performance HEPA vacuum cleaner. All of these activities can otherwise become additional sources of indoor air pollutants. Monitor your indoor air quality. Use an air quality monitor to track levels of indoor pollutants like PM2.5 and CO2 from smoke and other indoor pollution sources. Take action if indoor air pollutants rise to dangerous levels by running an air purifier, circulating fresh air through your HVAC system, or leaving your home temporarily if indoor air becomes unsafe to breathe or your home is threatened by wildfire. Use an air quality monitoring app to keep track of pollutants in your environment. The AirVisual app displays real-time hyperlocal data from over 80,000 sensors around the world. The app also tracks up to six key wildfire pollutants, such as PM2.5, CO2, and NO2, so that you have the best picture of your local air quality during a wildfire and can take action to help protect your health. Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. Learn to protect the health of yourself and your family, and rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary precautions. During a wildfire, it’s also important to monitor your local air quality to see how wildfire smoke will affect your outdoor air. The takeaway Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. And while wildfire smoke may be a warning sign of imminent fires, smoke also delivers its own set of risks for people living miles beyond the source. Though smoke pollutants carried on the wind may be invisible, their impacts are felt by those most at risk. Smoke pollutants pose health threats that range from irritation and cough to more serious respiratory and cardiac risks. By helping control smoke pollutants that threaten our indoor air quality through monitoring and air purification, it's possible to help manage wildfire smoke health risks.","

When considering the dangers of wildfires, thoughts of fleeing your home while a raging wildfire rapidly approaches can easily consume your imagination. However, the number one cause of death from fires is smoke inhalation.

The primary cause of death from wildfires is smoke inhalation. 50 to 80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.

Inhaling smoke damages your body in one or both of the following ways:

by robbing it of oxygen
through particulate matter irritation

Smoke inhalation is particularly dangerous because you may not show symptoms until 24 to 48 hours after exposure. 50–80 percent of fire deaths are from smoke inhalation.¹

Read on to learn how to help protect the health of yourself and your loved ones, and learn some wildfire smoke safety tips to rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary wildfire safety precautions to reduce the consequences of toxic wildfire smoke.

What’s in wildfire smoke?

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of thousands of individual compounds, including harmful particles and gases that pose a severe health risk to anyone (including pets) nearby and downwind from a fire.

Wildfire smoke often contains:

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water vapor
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particulate matter
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trace minerals
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carbon dioxide
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carbon monoxide
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nitrogen oxides
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hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide compounds that contribute to elevated ozone (O₃) levels
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\n
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acrolein and formaldehyde (potent respiratory irritants)
\n

Wildfire smoke often contains fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles that can be absorbed directly into your blood stream and reach any organ or area of your body.

$\"What's$

Pictured: The typical contents of wildfire smoke, including ultrafine particles (≤ 0.3 microns), PM2.5 (2.5-10 microns), acrolein, PM10 (> 10 microns), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Source: IQAir

Wildfire smoke composition depends upon multiple factors, including:

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the types of wood and vegetation burning
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the moisture content
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the fire temperature
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wind conditions
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other weather-related influences
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The primary pollutant threatening the health of those nearby and downwind of a wildfire is particulate matter. Wildfire smoke often contains fine (or PM2.5) and ultrafine particles. These tiny airborne particles are the most dangerous to your health.

Fine particles (smaller than 2.5 microns) penetrate deeply into your lungs.

The most dangerous are ultrafine particles (smaller than 0.1 microns), which represent 90% of all airborne particles. These particles are tiny and can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Once in your blood, they can reach any organ or area of your body.

\n \n

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Clean the air with high-performance air filtration
Learn more about our wildfire smoke air purifiers

\n\n

Click here

Wildfire smoke and at-risk populations

Most healthy adults will recover from smoke exposure. However, certain individuals are more at risk for severe health consequences, including:²

\n
Young children. Children whose lungs are still developing are considered more vulnerable, regardless of whether they have a pre-existing condition.
\n
\n
Pregnant women. Wildfire smoke inhalation puts pregnant women and their unborn children at a higher risk than the general population.
\n
\n
Older adults. This population is at-risk due to an increased rate of pre-existing heart and lung disease.
\n
\n
Anyone with a respiratory disease. Individuals with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, COPD, asthma, or another respiratory disease are at-risk.
\n
\n
Individuals with heart disease. Circulatory diseases include high blood pressure, vascular diseases, heart failure, and cerebrovascular conditions. These conditions make sufferers susceptible to heart attacks, transient chest pain, heart failure, stroke, and sudden death from cardiac arrhythmia.
\n

Young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with respiratory and cardiovascular pre-existing conditions may find that they experience more severe symptoms and find it harder to breathe.³

The full impact of wildfire smoke is not yet fully understood. A 2017 review in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology found that there are still important study opportunities for exploring the long-term health implications of smoke exposure, smoke exposure recovery, and additional smoke inhalation health impacts for children.⁴

Exposure to smoke can be dangerous simply due to the microorganisms within the smoke. A 2020 study in Science magazine noted that microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke.⁵ The study theorizes that infectious disease may be spread as bacteria and fungi become part of smoke’s particulate composition.

 Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungal spores, comprise some of the particulate matter found in smoke, and infectious disease may be spread as they become part of the smoke’s particulate composition.

How wildfire smoke behaves

Many factors affect wildfire smoke behavior, such as:

\n
weather
\n
\n
geographical terrain
\n
\n
the stage of the fire
\n
\n
wind
\n

Use the live, interactive air quality map below to see how weather, wind, and location can impact the behavior of wildfire smoke near you.

$\"placeholder$

Windy conditions generally cause smoke to mix with larger volumes of air to lower smoke concentrations. However, strong winds also can spread fires more quickly, causing larger fires with greater impact.

Regional weather can be the dominant determinant in how a fire behaves as well as how smoke affects surrounding areas. However, regional weather systems can spread fires quickly and result in larger fires with more smoke generated, creating the potential for even greater impacts.

Strong regional weather systems can also dominate a fire’s behavior for days and be the determining factor of where and how smoke will affect an area.

Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.

Smoke can travel for miles beyond its source. In 2020, smoke from wildfires in the western United States drifted for nearly 5,000 miles, eventually being detected in Europe.⁶

Wildfire safety tips

Wildfire smoke events can occur seemingly without warning. But there are steps you can take to prepare yourself using appropriate safety precautions for wildfires.

\n
Keep the air clean in your home. Keep windows and doors closed closed and seal off any openings to the outside, including vents, to help prevent outdoor smoke from getting in. When using an air conditioner, be sure to set it to re-circulate and close the fresh-air intake. Filter the air when ventilating the space. An air purifier for wildfire smoke, will help remove smoke particles of all sizes down to 0.003 microns from the indoor air and help control ozone levels. This is critical if you live in an urban area downwind (even remotely) from wildfires.
\n
\n
Stay indoors as much as possible. This tactic is most useful in buildings that effectively stop outdoor air from getting inside. If you need to travel by car to leave or evacuate an area affected by wildfire smoke, use a car air purifier to help keep your vehicle interior air clean as you pass through smoky or polluted areas. You can also use a portable, personal air purifier to access clean air where other air filtration systems are not available.
\n
\n
Wear a mask outdoors. Only use an air pollution mask with an N95, KN95, N100, or FFP2 rating to help.
\n
\n
Avoid activities that further pollute the indoor air. Avoid burning candles, using the fireplace, or even vacuuming unless you own a high-performance HEPA vacuum cleaner. All of these activities can otherwise become additional sources of indoor air pollutants.
\n
\n
Monitor your indoor air quality. Use an air quality monitor to track levels of indoor pollutants like PM2.5 and CO₂ from smoke and other indoor pollution sources. Take action if indoor air pollutants rise to dangerous levels by running an air purifier, circulating fresh air through your HVAC system, or leaving your home temporarily if indoor air becomes unsafe to breathe or your home is threatened by wildfire.
\n
\n
Use an air quality monitoring app to keep track of pollutants in your environment. The AirVisual app displays real-time hyperlocal data from over 80,000 sensors around the world. The app also tracks up to six key wildfire pollutants, such as PM2.5, CO₂, and NO₂, so that you have the best picture of your local air quality during a wildfire and can take action to help protect your health.
\n

$\"Google$ $\"App$ $\"Android\"$

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. Learn to protect the health of yourself and your family, and rest assured that you’ve taken the necessary precautions.

During a wildfire, it’s also important to monitor your local air quality to see how wildfire smoke will affect your outdoor air.

The takeaway

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Wildfire smoke can negatively affect your health, even if you’re far away from the actual fire. And while wildfire smoke may be a warning sign of imminent fires, smoke also delivers its own set of risks for people living miles beyond the source.

Though smoke pollutants carried on the wind may be invisible, their impacts are felt by those most at risk. Smoke pollutants pose health threats that range from irritation and cough to more serious respiratory and cardiac risks.

By helping control smoke pollutants that threaten our indoor air quality through monitoring and air purification, it's possible to help manage wildfire smoke health risks.

","how-to-protect-yourself-from-wildfire-smoke","gid://shopify/Article/606869291307","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/how-to-protect-yourself-from-wildfire-smoke","2025-07-01T20:46:00Z",[390,638,1492,1403],"Popular articles","How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke",{"_10":1495,"_243":1496,"_246":1497,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406601138550","Wildfire at night in hills","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_21_WildfireDesktop_a_790d6d55-874f-4c95-bff8-11655661a476.jpg?v=1752702197",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1499,"_1115":1500,"_1131":1501,"_1133":1501,"_1135":1502,"_1137":1503,"_985":1504,"_10":1505,"_1141":1506,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1507,"_577":1508,"_541":1509,"_1148":1510},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"How can you know what air purifier manufacturers to trust? Let's look more critically at air purification.","The home air purifier market has undergone many shifts and starts in its decades-long history as an affordable solution for indoor air quality. Along with those shifts have been seemingly ground breaking advancements in filtration technologies that may seem like the next revolution in air purification. But not all air purifiers safely clean the air. Not all air purifiers safely clean the air. Let's take an evidence-based approach to the industry and separate the fact from the fiction. What should I look for in an air purifier? Before we examine the various air purifiers on the market with a critical eye, it’s essential to have a solid understanding of what does make a good air purifier. 1. HEPA filters are the standard for the industry. What is a HEPA filter? High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters capture airborne particles from moving air using a dense, random arrangement of fibers. HEPA filters use the physics of particles moving through air to yank them out of the air flow. Their operation is simple but extremely effective, and HEPA filters are now standard issue for almost every air purifier on the market. But it wasn’t always that way. Air purifiers have been around for well over a century. The first air purification systems appeared in the 1850s in charcoal-based masks used by coal miners. They were designed to keep toxic dust out of their lungs. The technology was so successful that, less than twenty years later, respirators were added to these types of masks to protect firefighters from breathing in smoke chemicals and pollutants (1). Beginning in the 1940s, the United States Atomic Energy Commission started experimenting with high-efficiency particulate arrestance, better known now as HEPA, as a method of shielding soldiers from atomic radiation on World War II battlefields (2). HEPA filters did nothing to filter radiation particles, but researchers quickly learned that HEPA filters could filter out many harmful pollutants. In 1963, Manfred and Klaus Hammes, the founders of IQAir, introduced the world’s first residential air filter based on HEPA technology, helping reduce indoor pollution as well as chronic asthma symptoms. Not long after, HEPA became so widespread that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) required that all filters sold under the name “HEPA” must filter at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns (3). Since then, HEPA air purification has become the standard for the air purification industry. HEPA is now thrown around as a generic term for air filters, but HEPA filters continue to filter 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns. The HyperHEPA filter builds upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. Many manufacturers, including IQAir, have built upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. IQAir’s patented HyperHEPAfilter is one such filter. HyperHEPA filters remove 99.5% of particles down to 0.003 microns, which are 100 times smaller than the DOE’s required 0.3-micron particle size. 2. Not all air purifier designs are created equal. All air purifier manufacturers know that their filters need to live up to this HEPA standard. But long-standing, strict guidelines around air filters can provide a false sense of security in HEPA. To advertise an air purifier as HEPA, it only needs to contain HEPA paper, the paper used to construct a HEPA filter. Whether the air purifier’s Total System Efficiency meets HEPA requirements is another story. In fact, most HEPA air purifiers are not tested for total efficiency (4). The hidden factor at work here is leakage. Despite the high efficiency of many HEPA filters, the housing designs of many air purifiers are not airtight. This means that dirty, unfiltered air passes around the HEPA filter through tiny openings, cracks, and space around the frame of the HEPA filter itself or between the frame and the purifier housing (5). So even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, they’re only telling part of the story. In some cases, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less (6). Even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less. Some air purifier manufacturers have resolved this issue with designs that are built to minimize or eliminate leakage. IQAir uses patented 3D UltraSeal knife-edge-in-groove sealing between the filter frame and the purifier housing to guarantee the full efficiency of our HyperHEPA filtration media. 3. Concerned about gas and odors? Go beyond HEPA. While HyperHEPA filters are great at getting particles out of the air, they do NOT take gases and odors out of the air. Unlike particles, the molecules that comprise gases, odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not solid and will float through even the densest HyperHEPA filters. That’s where activated carbon filters come in. How do these filters work? It’s simpler than you might think: Chunks of carbon material (like charcoal) are exposed to high concentrations of oxygen. Countless pores open on the carbon surface, increasing the carbon surface area enormously. At this point, a pound of activated carbon can have the same surface area as 100 football fields. Several pounds of activated carbon are arranged in a flat “bed” and packaged in a proprietary filter design (such as IQAir’s V5 Cell gas and odor control filter). Air passes through the activated carbon bed. Gas, chemical, and VOC molecules are adsorbed into the carbon pores, meaning that they chemically bond to the extensive charcoal surface area. Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes (7)(8). Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes. Some air purifiers are designed to maximize activated carbon in case you’re more concerned about, for example, gases from cooking or odors from pets than about particle pollution in your home. IQAir’s GC MultiGas is built for such a purpose—while carbon filters generally use a few pounds of carbon, the GC MultiGas contains 12 pounds of activated carbon as well as impregnated alumina, providing well over 1200 football fields worth of surface area for gas and VOC molecules to adsorb to. The takeaway Now you know that the elements of a good air purifier are: HyperHEPA media for particle filtration No system leakage due to sealed filter and purifier housing Activated carbon for gas and odor filtration But we're not done yet. Just as important to know is what not to look for in an air purifier. What should I avoid in an air purifier? When considering air purifiers, some people wonder about their effectiveness and even potential risks. Question often arise, such as \"Do air purifiers work?\" or \"Are air purifiers effective?\" The answer is that while some air cleaning methods can remove particles and pollutants from the air, their capabilities are often limited. But it's not just about effectiveness. People also ask, \"Are air purifiers bad for you?\" This concern arises from potential hidden costs to your health. It's important to be aware of inefficiencies and any potential risks associated with the air purifier you're considering before making a purchase. So, if you're in the market for an air purifier, remember to ask yourself whether it will be effective at removing pollutants and particles from the air, and whether it poses any risks to your health. Ionizer air purifiers Ionizers are purported to purify air by sending out negatively charged ions (anions) that attract positively charged pollution particles (cations), causing them to leave the air and stick to surfaces like ceilings, walls, and furniture. Many popular air purifiers use ionization technology, also called negative ionization, as a central component of their operation. Research suggests that ionizers can help stop potentially infectious molds and bacteria from spreading in sterile environments like dental clinics and hospitals (9)(10). But there are two critical downsides to ionization (11)(12): Ionizer air purifiersdon’t get rid of pollutants. Particles charged by negative ions aren’t removed from the air—they merely stick to surfaces nearby. This includes surfaces inside your airways, such as your windpipe and alveoli, the sacs of air in your lungs. Pollutant build-up can cause heart, lung, and other respiratory conditions. Ionizer air purifierscan generate harmful ozone. Ionizers produce ozone (O3) that can build up to dangerous levels indoors. At even low levels, indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb (the organ that helps your brain process odors), and even be fatal at high concentrations. Indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb, and even be fatal at high concentrations. Verdict Don't buy an ionizer air purifier.They don’t remove particles from the air, and the ozone they produce can have harmful side effects, even if the purifier claims that they only charge the particles “a little bit.” Ozone Generators It’s worth saying again: ozone is TERRIBLE for you, especially indoor ozone build-up. The health concerns are serious enough that in 2017, California banned the use of ozonehome air purifiers (13). Ozone generators use a process called corona discharge to release ozone molecules into the air. When an ozone molecule intermingles with a particle or gas molecule, an ozone atom clings to the other molecule and blows it up in a process known as oxidation. Oxidation in the atmosphere after a lightning strike is also what makes the air smell so distinct after a thunderstorm. However, ozone generators do little to clean air and are quite bad for you. Here’s just a short (and far from complete) list of reasons why (14)(15)(16)(17)(18): Ozone can take years to fully clear even a small room of gases. Ozone reactions can introduce ultrafine particles (UFPs) into the air.UFPs can get into your lungs and your bloodstream, causing heart disease and even stunting lung development in children. Indoor ozone levels can rise five to ten times above recommended limits,which range from 0.05 to 0.1 parts per million (ppm), because of a lack of ventilation and in combination with outdoor ozone that seeps indoors.To put this in perspective, those who are sensitive to ozone, such as children, people with asthma, and pets, start experiencing health effects at only 0.01 ppm. Even a “safe” ozone generator that emits a small amount of ozone can quickly trigger potentially life-threatening ailments like asthma attacks. Verdict Don’t buy an ozone generator. They’re NOT air purifiers. Not only do they fail to clean your air, they hurt you and the most vulnerable in your home: your children and your pets. UV Light Purifiers Ultraviolet (UV) light is often used to disinfect equipment in hospitals and prevent the spread of harmful strains of bacteria and viruses (19)(20). One of the most common UV purification methods is called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI. In UVGI, intense UV lights are shined on bacteria and viruses, damaging their DNA beyond repair. Bacterial cells and viruses then shut themselves down because they can no longer function. This is called apoptosis, or programmed cell death, which effectively destroys their ability to cause infections (21). But UV air purification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why(22) (23) (24) (25) (26): Bacteria and viruses need to be exposed to UV light for a certain amount of timebefore they’re rendered harmless: some strains need to be treated with UV for several hours in direct UV light before they’re destroyed.Home UV air purifiers don’t shine UV light on them long enough to be genuinely useful. Some bacteria can come back to life and become infectious again even after being disinfected by UV light. UV lights do nothing for pollutant particles.Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter, like PM10 and PM2.5. Many UV air purifiers produce ozone. UV light can burn your skin and damage your eyes. Sure, most UV purifiers block the light from shining out of the purifier, but even brief UV exposure can cause permanent skin and eye damage as well as cancer. Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter. Verdict Don’t buy a UV light air purifier. UV light somewhat disinfects but doesn’t purify air, and research shows that UV’s disinfection potential for air may be exaggerated. What do I do now? At this point, you should feel like you have a good sense of what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to a truly effective air purification system. So, what should you do now, armed with your knowledge of what makes a good air purifier? You have a multitude of options for maximizing your indoor air quality: Get a HyperHEPA air purifier. Patented HyperHEPA filtration technology removes 99.5% of pollutant particles down to 0.003 microns, the smallest particles in existence. Use advanced gas-phase filtration. Patented V5 Cell gas and odor control filters, used in HealthPro Series air purifiers, eliminateharmful chemicals and compounds with five pounds of activated carbon. The GC MultiGas features 12 pounds of activated carbon and impregnated alumina to help protect you against indoor gases and chemicals, in addition to our powerful HyperHEPA particle filtration. Use a personal air purifier. Atem Series personal air purifiers are equipped with HyperHEPA filtration technology and a PureJet diffuser that instantly blankets you in clean air. They’re sleek, compact, and portable, allowing you to breathe virtually pure air anytime, anywhere. Install a whole-house air purifier. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at home uses outdoor air to heat and cool your home, so even with an indoor air purifier, your air still might become polluted by outdoor particulates on days with poor air quality. The PerfectPro Series whole-house air purifier is equipped with the most powerful HyperHEPA filters available for a residential air purification systems. It fits seamlessly into your existing HVAC system, ensuring that air entering your home is always up to the highest possible standard of quality. Still not sure? Read about some of the misconceptions that surround air purification technology. Use our Help Me Choose tool to see what air purifier may work best for your indoor air quality needs. The most capable air purification technology is always backed by evidence-based facts and science. When it comes to choosing the best air purifier, science has got your back.","

The home air purifier market has undergone many shifts and starts in its decades-long history as an affordable solution for indoor air quality. Along with those shifts have been seemingly ground breaking advancements in filtration technologies that may seem like the next revolution in air purification.

But not all air purifiers safely clean the air.

Not all air purifiers safely clean the air.

Let's take an evidence-based approach to the industry and separate the fact from the fiction.

What should I look for in an air purifier?

Before we examine the various air purifiers on the market with a critical eye, it’s essential to have a solid understanding of what does make a good air purifier.

$\"Air$

1. HEPA filters are the standard for the industry.

What is a HEPA filter?

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters capture airborne particles from moving air using a dense, random arrangement of fibers. HEPA filters use the physics of particles moving through air to yank them out of the air flow. Their operation is simple but extremely effective, and HEPA filters are now standard issue for almost every air purifier on the market.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Air purifiers have been around for well over a century. The first air purification systems appeared in the 1850s in charcoal-based masks used by coal miners. They were designed to keep toxic dust out of their lungs. The technology was so successful that, less than twenty years later, respirators were added to these types of masks to protect firefighters from breathing in smoke chemicals and pollutants (1).

Beginning in the 1940s, the United States Atomic Energy Commission started experimenting with high-efficiency particulate arrestance, better known now as HEPA, as a method of shielding soldiers from atomic radiation on World War II battlefields (2).

HEPA filters did nothing to filter radiation particles, but researchers quickly learned that HEPA filters could filter out many harmful pollutants.

In 1963, Manfred and Klaus Hammes, the founders of IQAir, introduced the world’s first residential air filter based on HEPA technology, helping reduce indoor pollution as well as chronic asthma symptoms. Not long after, HEPA became so widespread that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) required that all filters sold under the name “HEPA” must filter at least 99.97% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns (3).

Since then, HEPA air purification has become the standard for the air purification industry. HEPA is now thrown around as a generic term for air filters, but HEPA filters continue to filter 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns.

The HyperHEPA filter builds upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems.

Many manufacturers, including IQAir, have built upon the HEPA model to create even more efficient filtration systems. IQAir’s patented HyperHEPAfilter is one such filter. HyperHEPA filters remove 99.5% of particles down to 0.003 microns, which are 100 times smaller than the DOE’s required 0.3-micron particle size.

2. Not all air purifier designs are created equal.

All air purifier manufacturers know that their filters need to live up to this HEPA standard. But long-standing, strict guidelines around air filters can provide a false sense of security in HEPA.

To advertise an air purifier as HEPA, it only needs to contain HEPA paper, the paper used to construct a HEPA filter. Whether the air purifier’s Total System Efficiency meets HEPA requirements is another story. In fact, most HEPA air purifiers are not tested for total efficiency (4).

The hidden factor at work here is leakage. Despite the high efficiency of many HEPA filters, the housing designs of many air purifiers are not airtight. This means that dirty, unfiltered air passes around the HEPA filter through tiny openings, cracks, and space around the frame of the HEPA filter itself or between the frame and the purifier housing (5).

So even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, they’re only telling part of the story. In some cases, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less (6).

Even though many air purifiers claim that their HEPA filters remove nearly 100% of particles from the air that passes through them, the actual efficiency of the whole air purifier design, with leakage considered, is closer to 80% or less.

Some air purifier manufacturers have resolved this issue with designs that are built to minimize or eliminate leakage. IQAir uses patented 3D UltraSeal knife-edge-in-groove sealing between the filter frame and the purifier housing to guarantee the full efficiency of our HyperHEPA filtration media.

3. Concerned about gas and odors? Go beyond HEPA.

While HyperHEPA filters are great at getting particles out of the air, they do NOT take gases and odors out of the air.

Unlike particles, the molecules that comprise gases, odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are not solid and will float through even the densest HyperHEPA filters. That’s where activated carbon filters come in.

How do these filters work? It’s simpler than you might think:

Chunks of carbon material (like charcoal) are exposed to high concentrations of oxygen.
Countless pores open on the carbon surface, increasing the carbon surface area enormously. At this point, a pound of activated carbon can have the same surface area as 100 football fields.
Several pounds of activated carbon are arranged in a flat “bed” and packaged in a proprietary filter design (such as IQAir’s V5 Cell gas and odor control filter).
Air passes through the activated carbon bed.
Gas, chemical, and VOC molecules are adsorbed into the carbon pores, meaning that they chemically bond to the extensive charcoal surface area.

Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes (7)(8).

Activated carbon adsorption is the go-to method of filtration for gases as well as chemical pollutants from vehicle emissions and combustion processes.

Some air purifiers are designed to maximize activated carbon in case you’re more concerned about, for example, gases from cooking or odors from pets than about particle pollution in your home. IQAir’s GC MultiGas is built for such a purpose—while carbon filters generally use a few pounds of carbon, the GC MultiGas contains 12 pounds of activated carbon as well as impregnated alumina, providing well over 1200 football fields worth of surface area for gas and VOC molecules to adsorb to.

The takeaway

Now you know that the elements of a good air purifier are:

\nHyperHEPA media for particle filtration
\nNo system leakage due to sealed filter and purifier housing
\nActivated carbon for gas and odor filtration

But we're not done yet. Just as important to know is what not to look for in an air purifier.

What should I avoid in an air purifier?

When considering air purifiers, some people wonder about their effectiveness and even potential risks. Question often arise, such as \"Do air purifiers work?\" or \"Are air purifiers effective?\" The answer is that while some air cleaning methods can remove particles and pollutants from the air, their capabilities are often limited.

But it's not just about effectiveness. People also ask, \"Are air purifiers bad for you?\" This concern arises from potential hidden costs to your health. It's important to be aware of inefficiencies and any potential risks associated with the air purifier you're considering before making a purchase.

So, if you're in the market for an air purifier, remember to ask yourself whether it will be effective at removing pollutants and particles from the air, and whether it poses any risks to your health.

Ionizer air purifiers

Ionizers are purported to purify air by sending out negatively charged ions (anions) that attract positively charged pollution particles (cations), causing them to leave the air and stick to surfaces like ceilings, walls, and furniture.

Many popular air purifiers use ionization technology, also called negative ionization, as a central component of their operation. Research suggests that ionizers can help stop potentially infectious molds and bacteria from spreading in sterile environments like dental clinics and hospitals (9)(10).

But there are two critical downsides to ionization (11)(12):

\nIonizer air purifiersdon’t get rid of pollutants. Particles charged by negative ions aren’t removed from the air—they merely stick to surfaces nearby. This includes surfaces inside your airways, such as your windpipe and alveoli, the sacs of air in your lungs. Pollutant build-up can cause heart, lung, and other respiratory conditions.
\nIonizer air purifierscan generate harmful ozone. Ionizers produce ozone (O3) that can build up to dangerous levels indoors. At even low levels, indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb (the organ that helps your brain process odors), and even be fatal at high concentrations. \n

Indoor ozone can irritate your airways, trigger asthma attacks, damage your olfactory bulb, and even be fatal at high concentrations.

Verdict

Don't buy an ionizer air purifier.They don’t remove particles from the air, and the ozone they produce can have harmful side effects, even if the purifier claims that they only charge the particles “a little bit.”

Ozone Generators

It’s worth saying again: ozone is TERRIBLE for you, especially indoor ozone build-up. The health concerns are serious enough that in 2017, California banned the use of ozonehome air purifiers (13).

Ozone generators use a process called corona discharge to release ozone molecules into the air. When an ozone molecule intermingles with a particle or gas molecule, an ozone atom clings to the other molecule and blows it up in a process known as oxidation. Oxidation in the atmosphere after a lightning strike is also what makes the air smell so distinct after a thunderstorm.

However, ozone generators do little to clean air and are quite bad for you. Here’s just a short (and far from complete) list of reasons why (14)(15)(16)(17)(18):

\nOzone can take years to fully clear even a small room of gases.
\nOzone reactions can introduce ultrafine particles (UFPs) into the air.UFPs can get into your lungs and your bloodstream, causing heart disease and even stunting lung development in children.
\nIndoor ozone levels can rise five to ten times above recommended limits,which range from 0.05 to 0.1 parts per million (ppm), because of a lack of ventilation and in combination with outdoor ozone that seeps indoors.To put this in perspective, those who are sensitive to ozone, such as children, people with asthma, and pets, start experiencing health effects at only 0.01 ppm. Even a “safe” ozone generator that emits a small amount of ozone can quickly trigger potentially life-threatening ailments like asthma attacks.

Verdict

Don’t buy an ozone generator. They’re NOT air purifiers. Not only do they fail to clean your air, they hurt you and the most vulnerable in your home: your children and your pets.

UV Light Purifiers

Ultraviolet (UV) light is often used to disinfect equipment in hospitals and prevent the spread of harmful strains of bacteria and viruses (19)(20).

One of the most common UV purification methods is called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI.

In UVGI, intense UV lights are shined on bacteria and viruses, damaging their DNA beyond repair. Bacterial cells and viruses then shut themselves down because they can no longer function. This is called apoptosis, or programmed cell death, which effectively destroys their ability to cause infections (21).

But UV air purification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s why(22) (23) (24) (25) (26):

\nBacteria and viruses need to be exposed to UV light for a certain amount of timebefore they’re rendered harmless: some strains need to be treated with UV for several hours in direct UV light before they’re destroyed.Home UV air purifiers don’t shine UV light on them long enough to be genuinely useful.
\nSome bacteria can come back to life and become infectious again even after being disinfected by UV light.
\nUV lights do nothing for pollutant particles.Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter, like PM10 and PM2.5.
Many UV air purifiers produce ozone.
\nUV light can burn your skin and damage your eyes. Sure, most UV purifiers block the light from shining out of the purifier, but even brief UV exposure can cause permanent skin and eye damage as well as cancer.

Air treated with UV light can still be full of harmful particulate matter.

Verdict

Don’t buy a UV light air purifier. UV light somewhat disinfects but doesn’t purify air, and research shows that UV’s disinfection potential for air may be exaggerated.

What do I do now?

At this point, you should feel like you have a good sense of what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to a truly effective air purification system.

So, what should you do now, armed with your knowledge of what makes a good air purifier? You have a multitude of options for maximizing your indoor air quality:

\nGet a HyperHEPA air purifier. Patented HyperHEPA filtration technology removes 99.5% of pollutant particles down to 0.003 microns, the smallest particles in existence.
\nUse advanced gas-phase filtration.\n
- Patented V5 Cell gas and odor control filters, used in HealthPro Series air purifiers, eliminateharmful chemicals and compounds with five pounds of activated carbon.
- The GC MultiGas features 12 pounds of activated carbon and impregnated alumina to help protect you against indoor gases and chemicals, in addition to our powerful HyperHEPA particle filtration.
\n
\nUse a personal air purifier. Atem Series personal air purifiers are equipped with HyperHEPA filtration technology and a PureJet diffuser that instantly blankets you in clean air. They’re sleek, compact, and portable, allowing you to breathe virtually pure air anytime, anywhere.
\nInstall a whole-house air purifier. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at home uses outdoor air to heat and cool your home, so even with an indoor air purifier, your air still might become polluted by outdoor particulates on days with poor air quality. The PerfectPro Series whole-house air purifier is equipped with the most powerful HyperHEPA filters available for a residential air purification systems. It fits seamlessly into your existing HVAC system, ensuring that air entering your home is always up to the highest possible standard of quality.

Still not sure? Read about some of the misconceptions that surround air purification technology. Use our Help Me Choose tool to see what air purifier may work best for your indoor air quality needs.

The most capable air purification technology is always backed by evidence-based facts and science. When it comes to choosing the best air purifier, science has got your back.

","do-air-purifiers-work-air-purifier-myths-and-facts-debunked","gid://shopify/Article/606869193003","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/do-air-purifiers-work-air-purifier-myths-and-facts-debunked","2022-01-02T14:14:32Z",[853,653,1492],"Do air purifiers work? Air purifier myths and facts debunked",{"_10":1511,"_243":1512,"_246":1513,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/408358224246","Close-up of what appears to be a room air purifier with some plants in the background (another indoor air purifying tool that has been shown to be ineffective in improving indoor air quality).","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_misconceptions-about-air-purifiers_5058ed72-2e8d-4b0f-9570-93510f9f1f89.jpg?v=1758212336",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1515,"_1115":1516,"_1131":1517,"_1133":1517,"_1135":1518,"_1137":1519,"_985":1520,"_10":1521,"_1141":1522,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1523,"_577":1524,"_541":1525,"_1148":1526},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"They look great on your nightstand, but are they worth their salt as air purifiers? Learn more.","Himalayan salt lamps DO NOT purify indoor air.These trendy little lamps consist of a light bulb placed inside a chunk of pink Himalayan salt. They’re easily recognized by their hand-carved, often stylized shapes and dim, pinkish glow they emit when light shines through them.They’ve been gaining popularity for years, mostly because their distinct color and unique appearance make them attractive objects for interior decoration, and their glow can add a pleasing atmosphere to a room.But their recent rise in popularity as “natural” air purifiers should trouble you.A host of (often misleading) studies supporting the use of salt in treating respiratory conditions have escalated demand for these little pink things, especially within the well-primed alternative medicine market, full of people who may already be seeking home remedies for all sorts of health conditions and indoor environmental issues when modern medicine hasn’t seemed to help.And you shouldn’t buy a Himalayan salt lamp to purify your air for one major reason: they’re negative ionizers, and negative ionization is one of the most absurd air purification myths ever devised.Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?Again, two words: negative ionization.If you ever hear the words “ionization” (in one form or another) and “air purification” in the same sentence, you should run in the opposite direction.In the context of air purification, negative ionization happens when negatively charged particles attach themselves, or “charge,” pollutant particles in the air, effectively removing them from ambient air by causing them to stick to nearby surfaces.This phenomenon also occurs in nature – know that distinct smell in the air after a thunderstorm? That’s the result of “atmospheric space charge” as air ions are generated by the electric fields of storms.1 Many air purifiers and purification devices sold in stores, including Himalayan salt lamps and a variety of “air ionizers,” artificially produce high voltage to achieve this same effect.The problem with negative ionization, though, is that it doesn’t actually remove pollutants from your indoor air – it just causes the particles to adhere themselves to nearby surfaces, where they’re easily stirred up by indoor activities like dusting, vacuuming, and ventilation.Charged particles can also stick to your respiratory tract, where charged particles can settle in your windpipe and lungs and cause even more harm that if they’d just remained in the air. Studies show that these particles can penetrate deep into your respiratory system and cause both heart and lung conditions.2The average, nightstand-sized Himalayan salt lamp generates only a small number of negative ions into the air, so you may not notice any tangible change in your air quality or health, at least immediately. But these lamps can be huge: you can buy salt lamps that weight up to 300 pounds for thousands of dollars, and their ionization effects may have a more noticeable effect on your air, especially if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have a much harder time getting out.And negative ionizers have another dark secret: they can also create indoor ozone (O3).There are two main types of ozone: Stratospheric ozone: Alayer of ozone occurs naturally several miles up in the atmosphere, where it protects the surface of the earth (and people’s skin) from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Tropospheric ozone: Also called ground-level ozone or smog, ground-level ozone tends to develop when heat from sunlight reacts with chemicals near the ground, many of which are produced by emissions from vehicle exhaust and factory smoke. Negative ionization can generate tropospheric ozone indoors. While stratospheric ozone has no interaction with us in the lower atmosphere, ground-level ozone is far more harmful when it builds up to high levels. And perhaps one of the starkest examples of ground-level ozone is one that millions of us know very well – the smog that forms in major cities during rush hour.If you live near a freeway, dense urban center, or even at a high elevation where you can see the area around an urban area. A few hours or less after rush hour begins and the sun begins to rise, you’ll start to notice a visible layer of haze build up. This is ground-level ozone, and even though it’s a typical feature of modern life, extensive research shows that it causes a plethora of immediate symptoms, including: Coughing Wheezing Trouble breathing Stuffy nose Dizziness Tingling in arms and legs Fever3,4 Further research suggests that ozone is also responsible for long-term health problems, such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. Emerging studies on rats also suggest that ozone could cause seizures and blindness.So even though you may not get rush-hour levels of ozone in your home from a salt lamp, indoor ozone buildup can indeed cause some disruptive health effects if you don’t follow best practices for good Indoor Air Quality.So what’s so special about Himalayan salt?So how did someone come up with the idea that Himalayan salt lamps have any health effects at all?The story stretches back millennia. Truly authentic Himalayan salt comes from the Khewra salt reserves in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Salt mined here is thought to be millions of years old and contain numerous minerals.Salt lamps have been proposed for use in treatments for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of their purported therapeutic effects on your respiratory system. This treatment even has a clinical term: halotherapy, based on an ages-old respiratory treatment technique known as speleotherapy. First used in Eastern Europe, speleotherapy consists of spending time in a salt cave, where four environmental conditions are thought to help reduce symptoms of respiratory illness:5 Stable air temperature Moderate to high humidity Presence of aerosol elements, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium Lack of airborne pollutants Halotherapy takes the notion that salt cave environments are good for respiratory health by having people inhale small amounts of salt particles that are released into the ambient air of a controlled room to “reproduce” a salt cave’s microclimate. But there’s no conclusive evidence that either speleotherapy or halotherapy actually relieve respiratory symptoms.6Take the claims with a grain of...well, saltSo here’s the takeaway: We’re not saying you shouldn’t get a Himalayan salt lamp. Their dim glow can be quite soothing at night when you’re trying to fall asleep.But they don’t purify air. And “air purifiers” that emits ions and ozone may make your indoor air quality worse, introduce new health problems, and exacerbate existing ones.You can take many precautions to monitorand keep your indoor air clean, but buying a salt lamp isn’t one of them. Try these proven methods instead: Be aware of your indoor air quality. The AirVisual Series consists of portable air quality monitors that use cutting-edge laser technology to give you real-time measurements of key pollutants, including particulate matter. AirVisual Series also provides 72-hour historical and forecast data so that you can know exactly when and why your indoor air quality changes. Control sources of poor indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about buying a salt lamp to purify your air, chances are that you do have air quality issues that you may be able to do something about. The first step to improving your indoor indoor air quality is source control.This means eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions. Regularly clean your HVAC system ducts. Install a whole-house air purifier into your HVAC system to reduce indoor pollutants by up to 95%. Replace water-damaged areas of your home to prevent mold and dust mites. Keep paints, solvents, and other chemicals in well-ventilated areas. Ventilate your home. Let in fresh air regularly to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. This is especially important if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have nowhere to go and thus build up to dangerous levels. Open doors and windows when outdoor air quality is good. Use a range hood for your stove to capture gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking. Use an air purifier with HyperHEPA technology. The IQAir HealthPro Plusis the best air purifier for even the smallest pollutant particles, removing up to 99.5% of particulates down to 0.003 microns, like viruses and ultrafine particles from vehicle exhaust. The Atempersonal air purifier can also provide pure, pollutant-free air directly into your personal breathing zone. Sure, a salt lamp can be a nice accessory and bring some calm into your home. But there’s plenty you can do to actually keep your indoor air clean and bring yourself some peace of mind knowing that your home is a clean air sanctuary.","

Himalayan salt lamps DO NOT purify indoor air.

These trendy little lamps consist of a light bulb placed inside a chunk of pink Himalayan salt. They’re easily recognized by their hand-carved, often stylized shapes and dim, pinkish glow they emit when light shines through them.

They’ve been gaining popularity for years, mostly because their distinct color and unique appearance make them attractive objects for interior decoration, and their glow can add a pleasing atmosphere to a room.

But their recent rise in popularity as “natural” air purifiers should trouble you.

A host of (often misleading) studies supporting the use of salt in treating respiratory conditions have escalated demand for these little pink things, especially within the well-primed alternative medicine market, full of people who may already be seeking home remedies for all sorts of health conditions and indoor environmental issues when modern medicine hasn’t seemed to help.

And you shouldn’t buy a Himalayan salt lamp to purify your air for one major reason: they’re negative ionizers, and negative ionization is one of the most absurd air purification myths ever devised.

Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?

Again, two words: negative ionization.

If you ever hear the words “ionization” (in one form or another) and “air purification” in the same sentence, you should run in the opposite direction.

In the context of air purification, negative ionization happens when negatively charged particles attach themselves, or “charge,” pollutant particles in the air, effectively removing them from ambient air by causing them to stick to nearby surfaces.

This phenomenon also occurs in nature – know that distinct smell in the air after a thunderstorm? That’s the result of “atmospheric space charge” as air ions are generated by the electric fields of storms.¹ Many air purifiers and purification devices sold in stores, including Himalayan salt lamps and a variety of “air ionizers,” artificially produce high voltage to achieve this same effect.

The problem with negative ionization, though, is that it doesn’t actually remove pollutants from your indoor air – it just causes the particles to adhere themselves to nearby surfaces, where they’re easily stirred up by indoor activities like dusting, vacuuming, and ventilation.

Charged particles can also stick to your respiratory tract, where charged particles can settle in your windpipe and lungs and cause even more harm that if they’d just remained in the air. Studies show that these particles can penetrate deep into your respiratory system and cause both heart and lung conditions.²

The average, nightstand-sized Himalayan salt lamp generates only a small number of negative ions into the air, so you may not notice any tangible change in your air quality or health, at least immediately. But these lamps can be huge: you can buy salt lamps that weight up to 300 pounds for thousands of dollars, and their ionization effects may have a more noticeable effect on your air, especially if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have a much harder time getting out.

And negative ionizers have another dark secret: they can also create indoor ozone (O₃).

There are two main types of ozone:

\nStratospheric ozone: Alayer of ozone occurs naturally several miles up in the atmosphere, where it protects the surface of the earth (and people’s skin) from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
\nTropospheric ozone: Also called ground-level ozone or smog, ground-level ozone tends to develop when heat from sunlight reacts with chemicals near the ground, many of which are produced by emissions from vehicle exhaust and factory smoke.

Negative ionization can generate tropospheric ozone indoors. While stratospheric ozone has no interaction with us in the lower atmosphere, ground-level ozone is far more harmful when it builds up to high levels. And perhaps one of the starkest examples of ground-level ozone is one that millions of us know very well – the smog that forms in major cities during rush hour.

If you live near a freeway, dense urban center, or even at a high elevation where you can see the area around an urban area. A few hours or less after rush hour begins and the sun begins to rise, you’ll start to notice a visible layer of haze build up. This is ground-level ozone, and even though it’s a typical feature of modern life, extensive research shows that it causes a plethora of immediate symptoms, including:

Coughing
Wheezing
Trouble breathing
Stuffy nose
Dizziness
Tingling in arms and legs
Fever^3,4\n

Further research suggests that ozone is also responsible for long-term health problems, such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. Emerging studies on rats also suggest that ozone could cause seizures and blindness.

So even though you may not get rush-hour levels of ozone in your home from a salt lamp, indoor ozone buildup can indeed cause some disruptive health effects if you don’t follow best practices for good Indoor Air Quality.

So what’s so special about Himalayan salt?

So how did someone come up with the idea that Himalayan salt lamps have any health effects at all?

The story stretches back millennia. Truly authentic Himalayan salt comes from the Khewra salt reserves in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Salt mined here is thought to be millions of years old and contain numerous minerals.

Salt lamps have been proposed for use in treatments for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of their purported therapeutic effects on your respiratory system. This treatment even has a clinical term: halotherapy, based on an ages-old respiratory treatment technique known as speleotherapy. First used in Eastern Europe, speleotherapy consists of spending time in a salt cave, where four environmental conditions are thought to help reduce symptoms of respiratory illness:⁵

Stable air temperature
Moderate to high humidity
Presence of aerosol elements, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium
Lack of airborne pollutants

Halotherapy takes the notion that salt cave environments are good for respiratory health by having people inhale small amounts of salt particles that are released into the ambient air of a controlled room to “reproduce” a salt cave’s microclimate. But there’s no conclusive evidence that either speleotherapy or halotherapy actually relieve respiratory symptoms.⁶

Take the claims with a grain of...well, salt

So here’s the takeaway: We’re not saying you shouldn’t get a Himalayan salt lamp. Their dim glow can be quite soothing at night when you’re trying to fall asleep.

But they don’t purify air. And “air purifiers” that emits ions and ozone may make your indoor air quality worse, introduce new health problems, and exacerbate existing ones.

You can take many precautions to monitorand keep your indoor air clean, but buying a salt lamp isn’t one of them. Try these proven methods instead:

\nBe aware of your indoor air quality. The AirVisual Series consists of portable air quality monitors that use cutting-edge laser technology to give you real-time measurements of key pollutants, including particulate matter. AirVisual Series also provides 72-hour historical and forecast data so that you can know exactly when and why your indoor air quality changes.
\nControl sources of poor indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about buying a salt lamp to purify your air, chances are that you do have air quality issues that you may be able to do something about. The first step to improving your indoor indoor air quality is source control.This means eliminating individual sources of pollution or reducing their emissions.\n\n\t
- Regularly clean your HVAC system ducts. Install a whole-house air purifier into your HVAC system to reduce indoor pollutants by up to 95%.
- Replace water-damaged areas of your home to prevent mold and dust mites.
- Keep paints, solvents, and other chemicals in well-ventilated areas.
\n\n\t
\nVentilate your home. Let in fresh air regularly to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. This is especially important if you live in an airtight, energy-efficient home in which indoor pollutants have nowhere to go and thus build up to dangerous levels.\n\n\t
- Open doors and windows when outdoor air quality is good.
- Use a range hood for your stove to capture gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking.
\n\n\t
\nUse an air purifier with HyperHEPA technology. The IQAir HealthPro Plusis the best air purifier for even the smallest pollutant particles, removing up to 99.5% of particulates down to 0.003 microns, like viruses and ultrafine particles from vehicle exhaust. The Atempersonal air purifier can also provide pure, pollutant-free air directly into your personal breathing zone.

Sure, a salt lamp can be a nice accessory and bring some calm into your home. But there’s plenty you can do to actually keep your indoor air clean and bring yourself some peace of mind knowing that your home is a clean air sanctuary.
\n\n

","himalayan-salt-lamp-debunked","gid://shopify/Article/606869356843","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/himalayan-salt-lamp-debunked","2019-06-17T13:49:29Z",[390,653,1492],"Himalayan salt lamps: Worth their salt?",{"_10":1527,"_243":1528,"_246":1529,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/406288400758","Why are Himalayan salt lamps bad for air quality?","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_HimalayanSalt_061419_750_ebdb5244-3cb4-49a7-b887-47de5134ba96.jpg?v=1751543557",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1531,"_1115":1532,"_1131":1533,"_1133":1533,"_1135":1534,"_1137":1535,"_985":1536,"_10":1537,"_1141":1538,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1539,"_577":1540,"_541":1541,"_1148":1542},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Learn more how scented candles release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit — and can harm your health.","Are scented candles bad for you?Burning a scented candle is a popular way to create a pleasant ambiance at home. Scents such aslavender, jasmine, and sandalwood can be relaxing and invigorating. During the holidays, many people find the warm glow and aroma of pine, gingerbread, or cinnamon makes a room feel more festive.Unfortunately, most mass-produced scented candles can have a negative impact on indoor air quality. From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.So while you and your family may enjoy the fragrance of scented candles in your home, they may be harmful to your health. Read on to learn why some candles are bad for you.Paraffin waxAre paraffin wax candles safe? In what way can wax be harmful?According to a 2017 study in the International Journal of Tropical Disease and Health, paraffin candles emit pollutants that can threaten human health and shouldn’t be burned in enclosed areas (1).Most candles are made from paraffin, a petroleum byproduct. To create paraffin wax candles, petroleum waste is chemically bleached, deodorized, and made into wax. When burned, paraffin wax can release toxicvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, including known carcinogens like: alkenes acetone benzene toluene These are the same chemicals found in diesel fuel emissions and are known to cause allergies, asthma attacks, and skin problems.A 2005 study published by the University of South Florida showed that candles made of paraffin wax emit low levels of benzene even when they are not lit (2).Is burning candles bad for you?In addition to releasing toxic chemicals, burning paraffin wax produces soot composed of particulate matter such as, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles that can remain suspended in the air for hours. According to the University of South Florida study, ultrafine soot particles are similar to diesel exhaust in both their size and composition. They penetrate deeply into the lungs and are absorbed into the blood stream (3).A 2000 study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that soot emissions from candles are significantly higher after wax breakthrough occurs and when a candle is smoldering (4).Ultrafine particles are associated with severe health issues, including: allergies asthma COPD (5) respiratory tract infections heart attacks strokes cancer So, are candles bad for your health? Not all candles produce the same amount of air pollutants. A 2002 study published in theJournal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society found that soywax, much like beeswax candles, burned at a significantly lower rate and resulted in less soot than paraffin candles (6).Chemical fragrancesAnother problem with scented candles is that the chemicals they use to create a pleasing aroma are generally far from wholesome.Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature.Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature. Commonly emitted VOCs related to the scent in candles include (7): formaldehyde petroleum distillates limonene alcohol esters These harmful chemicals can cause health problems, such as: headaches dizziness allergy symptoms asthma attacks respiratory tract infections cancer Cored wicksMany candles have cored wicks made from cotton that are wrapped around a metal support. The design helps keep the wick from falling over into the wax. This is especially useful for scented candles because the fragrance oils soften the wax and allow non-cored wicks to go limp.Are candles toxic? If they have lead in them, possibly. Lead was once commonly used in cored candlewicks — especially in candles imported from overseas. However, after determining that these wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture and sale of all candles with lead-core wicks in 2003 (8). Zinc and tin have been used as a substitute since the ban.All metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned.However, all metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned. Wicks with zinc and tin cores can still release small amounts of lead particles (9,10).Safer alternativesTo limit soot stains and poor air quality in your home, you should avoid or restrict the use of candles (11).If you still crave the pleasant ambiance and aroma of scented candles, here are safer ways to scent the air: Use essential oils for fragrance.Essential oils can be placed in a diffuser or in bathwater to create a desired aroma. Simmer spices.Place spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water and let it simmer on the stove. Create potpourri.Dried items such as flowers, berries, fruit rinds, wood chips, and spices can be placed in bowls or fabric bags and placed around your home. The takeawayLighting scented candles may seem like a relaxing way to enjoy your home. But burning scented candles releases VOC pollutants and worsens your home’s indoor air quality. Although fragrances from safer alternatives like essential oils can be pleasant, trulyclean air smells like nothing at all.","

Are scented candles bad for you?

Burning a scented candle is a popular way to create a pleasant ambiance at home. Scents such aslavender, jasmine, and sandalwood can be relaxing and invigorating. During the holidays, many people find the warm glow and aroma of pine, gingerbread, or cinnamon makes a room feel more festive.

Unfortunately, most mass-produced scented candles can have a negative impact on indoor air quality. From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.

From the wax to the wick to the fragrance itself, the average scented candle can release harmful chemicals into the air — even when unlit.

So while you and your family may enjoy the fragrance of scented candles in your home, they may be harmful to your health. Read on to learn why some candles are bad for you.

Paraffin wax

Are paraffin wax candles safe? In what way can wax be harmful?

According to a 2017 study in the International Journal of Tropical Disease and Health, paraffin candles emit pollutants that can threaten human health and shouldn’t be burned in enclosed areas (1).

Most candles are made from paraffin, a petroleum byproduct. To create paraffin wax candles, petroleum waste is chemically bleached, deodorized, and made into wax. When burned, paraffin wax can release toxicvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, including known carcinogens like:

alkenes
acetone
benzene
toluene

These are the same chemicals found in diesel fuel emissions and are known to cause allergies, asthma attacks, and skin problems.

A 2005 study published by the University of South Florida showed that candles made of paraffin wax emit low levels of benzene even when they are not lit (2).

Is burning candles bad for you?

In addition to releasing toxic chemicals, burning paraffin wax produces soot composed of particulate matter such as, PM2.5 and ultrafine particles that can remain suspended in the air for hours. According to the University of South Florida study, ultrafine soot particles are similar to diesel exhaust in both their size and composition. They penetrate deeply into the lungs and are absorbed into the blood stream (3).

A 2000 study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that soot emissions from candles are significantly higher after wax breakthrough occurs and when a candle is smoldering (4).

Ultrafine particles are associated with severe health issues, including:

allergies
asthma
COPD (5)
respiratory tract infections
heart attacks
strokes
cancer

So, are candles bad for your health? Not all candles produce the same amount of air pollutants. A 2002 study published in theJournal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society found that soywax, much like beeswax candles, burned at a significantly lower rate and resulted in less soot than paraffin candles (6).

Chemical fragrances

Another problem with scented candles is that the chemicals they use to create a pleasing aroma are generally far from wholesome.

Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature.

Most scented candles use synthetic fragrances and dyes that give off dangerous VOCs even at room temperature. Commonly emitted VOCs related to the scent in candles include (7):

formaldehyde
petroleum distillates
limonene
alcohol
esters

These harmful chemicals can cause health problems, such as:

headaches
dizziness
allergy symptoms
asthma attacks
respiratory tract infections
cancer
\n\n\t

Cored wicks

Many candles have cored wicks made from cotton that are wrapped around a metal support. The design helps keep the wick from falling over into the wax. This is especially useful for scented candles because the fragrance oils soften the wax and allow non-cored wicks to go limp.

Are candles toxic? If they have lead in them, possibly. Lead was once commonly used in cored candlewicks — especially in candles imported from overseas. However, after determining that these wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the manufacture and sale of all candles with lead-core wicks in 2003 (8). Zinc and tin have been used as a substitute since the ban.

All metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned.

However, all metal-core wicks release trace amounts of heavy metals into the air when they are burned. Wicks with zinc and tin cores can still release small amounts of lead particles (9,10).

Safer alternatives

To limit soot stains and poor air quality in your home, you should avoid or restrict the use of candles (11).

If you still crave the pleasant ambiance and aroma of scented candles, here are safer ways to scent the air:

\nUse essential oils for fragrance.Essential oils can be placed in a diffuser or in bathwater to create a desired aroma.
\nSimmer spices.Place spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg in a pot of water and let it simmer on the stove.
\nCreate potpourri.Dried items such as flowers, berries, fruit rinds, wood chips, and spices can be placed in bowls or fabric bags and placed around your home.

The takeaway

Lighting scented candles may seem like a relaxing way to enjoy your home. But burning scented candles releases VOC pollutants and worsens your home’s indoor air quality. Although fragrances from safer alternatives like essential oils can be pleasant, trulyclean air smells like nothing at all.

","hidden-dangers-scented-candles","gid://shopify/Article/606869127467","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/hidden-dangers-scented-candles","2016-12-04T22:35:53Z",[653,1492],"The hidden dangers of scented candles",{"_10":1543,"_243":1544,"_246":1545,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/405721284982","Two lit candles","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/49_scented_desktop_RE_3518d342-9492-4308-82e5-ee4111074a17.jpg?v=1749633010","successStories",[1548,1565,1582,1597],{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1549,"_1115":1550,"_1131":1551,"_1133":1552,"_1135":1553,"_1137":1554,"_985":1555,"_10":1556,"_1141":1557,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1558,"_577":1559,"_541":1560,"_1148":1561},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"Discover how Tedy Mwendwa's air quality monitoring project in Nairobi is bridging critical gaps in Africa's air quality data. Learn more.","

Discover how Tedy Mwendwa's air quality monitoring project in Nairobi is bridging critical gaps in Africa's air quality data. Learn more.

","“Every day, I witness the severe impact of poor air quality on my community,” Tedy Mwendwa explained. “Using my expertise in electrical engineering, I felt compelled to create change.” In the heart of Africa, amidst bustling cities and vibrant rural landscapes, Mwendwa is pioneering a movement for cleaner air in Kenya. With a professional foundation in electrical engineering and a passion for environmental stewardship, Mwendwa's deployment of a low-cost air quality sensor in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, marks a pivotal step in revealing and addressing pollution and bridging critical gaps in Africa’s air quality data. Nairobi's leap towards cleaner air In late 2021, Mwendwa established an air quality station. Set up along one of Nairobi’s busy thoroughfares, the station gathers data on pollutants from sources like vehicular exhaust and biomass burning. \"It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution.” “It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution,” Mwendwa said. “Empowering our community with this data is crucial for driving action and advocating for sustainable solutions. Without data, we remain in the dark.” Local expertise, global resources drive innovation Building on the foundation of community-driven air monitoring, the project has taken a step forward. It now hosts East Africa’s first Monster Aerosol System (a platform that houses advanced aerosol analyzers), featuring a Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (TOF-ACSM). This technology provides real-time, high-resolution data on airborne particles—including nitrates, ammonium, and chlorides—uncovering the chemical fingerprints of pollution with unprecedented precision. Paired with a black carbon monitor, the system offers a comprehensive view of airborne composition and sources. These reference-grade instruments build on the project’s original IQAir AirVisual Outdoor monitor—pairing community-level, real-time data with laboratory-grade chemical insight. The TOF-ACSM will help identify pollution sources—from mineral dust kicked up by unpaved roads and construction to organic aerosols tied to biomass burning and traffic emissions. It will also track seasonal and daily shifts in air quality, influenced by weather patterns and human activity. The initiative is expanding further with the deployment of GRIMM EDM 180 reference monitors across Nairobi, replacing older equipment to deliver faster, more accurate readings with minimal maintenance. In collaboration with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), these monitors will be placed along major highways and construction zones, ensuring data reflects the realities of urban life. These advancements are part of the NBO-CHEM Project (Nairobi Aerosol Chemistry and Monitoring Initiative), an effort funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by Prof. Daniel M. Westervelt, Dr. Godwin Opinde, and Tedy Mwendwa. By combining local expertise with state-of-the-art scientific resources, the project aims to transform how we understand air pollution in East Africa. The challenge of air quality monitoring in Africa The new additions to the project are heartening developments towards advancing air quality understanding in East Africa. Yet, despite the increasing efforts to monitor air quality globally, Africa remains one of the most underrepresented continents in terms of air quality data. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report, there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people. While coverage has expanded to include more African countries in recent years, there are still vast areas without sufficient data. For example, countries like Niger and Sudan remain without publicly available monitoring data.Air pollution is a major health threat, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide each year. Without accurate data, it is challenging to address the sources and impacts of air pollution effectively. Grassroots efforts like Mwendwa's are crucial in filling these data gaps, providing models for further projects and inspiring broader initiatives. Harnessing technology for a healthier tomorrow Utilizing an AirVisual Outdoor air quality monitor, Mwendwa’s station gathers critical real-time data. “The AirVisual sensor was easy to deploy and requires little maintenance, even in our somewhat extreme conditions with limited resources,” he said.The project, though small, is already making a difference in the community. “By sharing a link to the AirVisual Platform and using the app, we can easily get our data to students nationwide, enabling them to conduct their own research on pollution,” he said. The data has also been used to inform parents with small children of the effects of poor air quality. \"They need to understand that this data can help give them a better life,\" Mwendwa said. Cultivating environmental consciousness Mwendwa envisions a future where air quality stations span Africa, fostering a culture of environmental awareness and proactive health management. “The data my station is gathering empowers students to conduct community research, highlighting pollution's impact and fostering greater understanding,” he said. “This awareness can significantly influence the general population.\"Mwendwa plans further collaborations with local governments, communities, and international bodies, with this initial project laying a foundation for sustainable environmental policies and practices. “Our goal is to illuminate the unseen threats of pollution through technology,” he said. “Providing our community, and beyond, with this data, equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future. Without data, we are navigating blindly.” “Providing our community with this data equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future.” Conclusion From a low-cost sensor to a full NBO-CHEM reference hybrid network, Mwendwa’s project shows how local leadership and modern tools can accelerate Kenya’s clean-air progress. The project is an invitation to communities and policymakers to engage in a similar quest for healthier environments.Mwendwa's efforts symbolize more than geographic growth—they embody the momentum of a global movement dedicated to clean air. His work exemplifies uniting technology, data, and collective engagement to tackle one of our era's most pressing challenges.Achieving cleaner air is a communal endeavor, demanding innovation and cooperation. Mwendwa's project is a rallying cry to all, inviting participation in crafting a healthier, sustainable future for generations to come.","

“Every day, I witness the severe impact of poor air quality on my community,” Tedy Mwendwa explained. “Using my expertise in electrical engineering, I felt compelled to create change.”

In the heart of Africa, amidst bustling cities and vibrant rural landscapes, Mwendwa is pioneering a movement for cleaner air in Kenya. With a professional foundation in electrical engineering and a passion for environmental stewardship, Mwendwa's deployment of a low-cost air quality sensor in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, marks a pivotal step in revealing and addressing pollution and bridging critical gaps in Africa’s air quality data.

Nairobi's leap towards cleaner air

In late 2021, Mwendwa established an air quality station. Set up along one of Nairobi’s busy thoroughfares, the station gathers data on pollutants from sources like vehicular exhaust and biomass burning.

\"It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution.”

“It's about leveraging technology to unveil the hidden dangers of pollution,” Mwendwa said. “Empowering our community with this data is crucial for driving action and advocating for sustainable solutions. Without data, we remain in the dark.”

Local expertise, global resources drive innovation

Building on the foundation of community-driven air monitoring, the project has taken a step forward. It now hosts East Africa’s first Monster Aerosol System (a platform that houses advanced aerosol analyzers), featuring a Time-of-Flight Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (TOF-ACSM). This technology provides real-time, high-resolution data on airborne particles—including nitrates, ammonium, and chlorides—uncovering the chemical fingerprints of pollution with unprecedented precision. Paired with a black carbon monitor, the system offers a comprehensive view of airborne composition and sources. These reference-grade instruments build on the project’s original IQAir AirVisual Outdoor monitor—pairing community-level, real-time data with laboratory-grade chemical insight.

The TOF-ACSM will help identify pollution sources—from mineral dust kicked up by unpaved roads and construction to organic aerosols tied to biomass burning and traffic emissions. It will also track seasonal and daily shifts in air quality, influenced by weather patterns and human activity.

The initiative is expanding further with the deployment of GRIMM EDM 180 reference monitors across Nairobi, replacing older equipment to deliver faster, more accurate readings with minimal maintenance. In collaboration with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), these monitors will be placed along major highways and construction zones, ensuring data reflects the realities of urban life.

These advancements are part of the NBO-CHEM Project (Nairobi Aerosol Chemistry and Monitoring Initiative), an effort funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by Prof. Daniel M. Westervelt, Dr. Godwin Opinde, and Tedy Mwendwa.

By combining local expertise with state-of-the-art scientific resources, the project aims to transform how we understand air pollution in East Africa.

The challenge of air quality monitoring in Africa

The new additions to the project are heartening developments towards advancing air quality understanding in East Africa. Yet, despite the increasing efforts to monitor air quality globally, Africa remains one of the most underrepresented continents in terms of air quality data. According to the 2024 World Air Quality Report , there is only one monitoring station for every 3.7 million people.

While coverage has expanded to include more African countries in recent years, there are still vast areas without sufficient data. For example, countries like Niger and Sudan remain without publicly available monitoring data.

Air pollution is a major health threat, causing an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide each year. Without accurate data, it is challenging to address the sources and impacts of air pollution effectively. Grassroots efforts like Mwendwa's are crucial in filling these data gaps, providing models for further projects and inspiring broader initiatives.

Harnessing technology for a healthier tomorrow

Utilizing an AirVisual Outdoor air quality monitor, Mwendwa’s station gathers critical real-time data. “The AirVisual sensor was easy to deploy and requires little maintenance, even in our somewhat extreme conditions with limited resources,” he said.

The project, though small, is already making a difference in the community. “By sharing a link to the AirVisual Platform and using the app, we can easily get our data to students nationwide, enabling them to conduct their own research on pollution,” he said. The data has also been used to inform parents with small children of the effects of poor air quality. \"They need to understand that this data can help give them a better life,\" Mwendwa said.

Cultivating environmental consciousness

Mwendwa envisions a future where air quality stations span Africa, fostering a culture of environmental awareness and proactive health management. “The data my station is gathering empowers students to conduct community research, highlighting pollution's impact and fostering greater understanding,” he said. “This awareness can significantly influence the general population.\"

Mwendwa plans further collaborations with local governments, communities, and international bodies, with this initial project laying a foundation for sustainable environmental policies and practices. “Our goal is to illuminate the unseen threats of pollution through technology,” he said. “Providing our community, and beyond, with this data, equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future. Without data, we are navigating blindly.”

“Providing our community with this data equips them to advocate for sustainable solutions essential for a healthier future.”

Conclusion

From a low-cost sensor to a full NBO-CHEM reference hybrid network, Mwendwa’s project shows how local leadership and modern tools can accelerate Kenya’s clean-air progress. The project is an invitation to communities and policymakers to engage in a similar quest for healthier environments.

Mwendwa's efforts symbolize more than geographic growth—they embody the momentum of a global movement dedicated to clean air. His work exemplifies uniting technology, data, and collective engagement to tackle one of our era's most pressing challenges.

Achieving cleaner air is a communal endeavor, demanding innovation and cooperation. Mwendwa's project is a rallying cry to all, inviting participation in crafting a healthier, sustainable future for generations to come.

","revealing-the-invisible-kenya","gid://shopify/Article/607976751403","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-kenya","2025-12-01T04:00:00Z",[648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: Boosting air quality awareness in Kenya",{"_10":1562,"_243":1563,"_246":1564,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/411421278582","Nairobi-city-smog","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_Revamp_Kenya_Clean_Air_Desktop_4f1dd00b-baa3-4e27-9eed-3acd42f2faae.jpg?v=1767630558",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1566,"_1115":1567,"_1131":1568,"_1133":1569,"_1135":1570,"_1137":1571,"_985":1572,"_10":1573,"_1141":1574,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1575,"_577":1576,"_541":1577,"_1148":1578},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"WWF Pakistan is tackling air pollution with IQAir. Learn how real-time data is driving change across the country.","

WWF Pakistan is tackling air pollution with IQAir. Learn how real-time data is driving change across the country.

","In Pakistan, severe air pollution silently impacts public health and well-being nationwide. Yet, due to a dire lack of air quality data, air quality monitors, and public awareness, the scale of the threat remains largely unseen. In 2024, Pakistan was the third most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 73.7 μg/m3 and exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guideline of 5 μg/m3 by 14.7 times. Numerous cities experienced poor air quality, with high average PM2.5 concentrations measured for Islamabad (52.4 μg/m3), Rawalpindi (65.8 μg/m3), Faisalabad (88.8 μg/m3), Peshawar (91.0 μg/m3), and Lahore (102.1 μg/m3) – all exceeding the WHO recommended guideline by ten times or more. Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, WWF-Pakistan has taken significant steps to address air pollution using IQAir’s air quality monitoring technology. WWF-Pakistan has successfully deployed stations across Pakistan and published data to IQAir’s AirVisual platform, establishing the country’s largest air quality monitoring network. With this initiative, WWF-Pakistan is transforming how the country understands and confronts this invisible threat. \"We have successfully reached the goal of installing AirVisual Outdoor sensors in 15 of our offices across Pakistan,\" said WWF-Pakistan’s Research Officer, Muhammad Huzaifa who led this initiative in Pakistan. As of now, WWF-Pakistan has air monitoring stations located in key regions like Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. They provide real-time data that is accessible to both policymakers and the public. \"We are excited to say that we’ve published the data from these stations to IQAir’s platform, where communities can see their local air quality in real-time.” Why Pakistan Needs Reliable Air Quality Data Pakistan's urban centers, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, frequently grapple with thick layers of smog. While this is a visible reminder of air pollution, the more dangerous pollutants often remain unseen and unmonitored. One of the greatest challenges in Pakistan has been the need for more reliable, public air quality data. \"Our air quality network provides crucial air quality data in some of Pakistan’s most polluted regions and are often ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world\" Huzaifa explained. WWF-Pakistan, the nation’s largest environmental organization, has been addressing critical environmental issues since 1970. Originally focused on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, the organization’s scope has broadened to include tackling climate change, protecting vulnerable habitats, and securing vital resources like freshwater. Now, through their air quality monitoring initiative, they are addressing one of the most pressing health and environmental crises facing Pakistan. “Unfortunately, there is little public air quality data available,” Huzaifa noted. “This information vacuum has left policymakers and citizens unprepared to tackle the pollution crisis.” WWF-Pakistan’s initiative helps fill this gap, ensuring the public has access to real-time, localized air quality data. With real-time data now available, citizens, governments, and policymakers can work together to implement solutions, reduce pollution and improve health outcomes across the country. Building Pakistan's National Air Quality Network WWF-Pakistan’s initiative, which involves installing air quality sensors in key cities across the country, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s battle against air pollution. By coordinating 15 monitoring stations under one national initiative, WWF-Pakistan now operates the country’s largest organized air quality monitoring network, making real-time data accessible to both citizens and policymakers. Partnering with IQAir adds both credibility and precision to the project. \"IQAir's AirVisual air quality monitors are globally recognized for their accuracy and ability to track even the smallest fluctuations in air quality,\" said Huzaifa. \"IQAir's technology is built to withstand all sorts of weather and having it in place ensures that people will trust the data.\" This transparency is essential for mobilizing both community efforts and policy interventions, as reliable information is crucial to driving meaningful change. Using Air Quality Data to Combat Pollution in Pakistan With the sensors online and data flowing into the IQAir platform, WWF-Pakistan's live contributor profile showcases the impact of their work, allowing anyone to monitor air quality in real-time. This transparency empowers citizens and policymakers alike to take informed action, using reliable data to drive meaningful change across the country. Explore WWF-Pakistan’s profile to see the live data from their monitoring stations across Pakistan. \"Data isn’t just a tool for awareness—it’s the foundation for meaningful action,\" Nazifa Butt, Director Climate Action and Sustainability WWF-Pakistan emphasized. “Now that we have the data, we have something to report and base our decisions on.” Nazifa emphasized the importance of storytelling. “We’re going to have to tell two parts of the story,” she explained, pointing out how data can not only expose alarming trends but also inspire communities to push for change—through policies, advocacy, and local initiatives. With 18,800 followers across its national network, WWF-Pakistan is sharing that data every day with citizens who urgently need real-time air quality information to help protect themselves from pollution. Pakistan's Long-Term Pollution Solutions WWF-Pakistan envisions a future where every region of the country has access to real-time, accurate air quality data. \"Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan,\" Nazifa explained. By providing access to this data, WWF-Pakistan aims to foster a culture of proactive health management, where individuals and communities can take the steps necessary to protect themselves from pollution. The air quality data being gathered is more than just numbers—it’s a lifeline for communities struggling with the dangers of polluted air. “Our initiative is laying the foundation for a National Clean Air Research Centre,\" Huzaifa said. \"This will be a hub for research and data-driven policies, enabling us to tackle pollution with innovative strategies.\" “Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan.” In October 2024, WWF-Pakistan warned that Lahore’s air quality posed a terrible threat to public health, recommending a number of changes to government policy including helping farmers manage crop waste, expanding mass transit, and improving zoning laws to reduce industrial pollution away from residents. It also noted that low-cost air quality monitoring systems could be used to uncover air pollution hotspots along traffic routes. Armed with that information, governments could restrict heavy transport vehicles or develop alternate routes to avoid congestion (1). Beyond their air quality monitoring project, the WWF-Pakistan team oversees more than 60 active environmental protection initiatives in FY 2025 across the country, ranging from clean water access and forest preservation to sustainable infrastructure development. These efforts, working in tandem with the air quality monitoring network, are all part of WWF's broader mission to protect the planet's natural environment and create a future where both people and nature can thrive in harmony. Conclusion WWF-Pakistan's initiative is a testament to the transformative power of air quality data, technology, and collective will in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges. And by increasing the footprint of air quality monitors across the country, innovative solutions to persistent pollution problems can be put into play. As this vital work advances, it invites everyone to contribute to the cause—because in the fight for clean air, every voice and every action matters. “This initiative,” Nazifa said, “lays the foundation for what we envision as Pakistan’s future air quality innovation hub. It will serve as a hub for developing strategies and methods to tackle air pollution, aligning efforts across governmental and non-governmental sectors, both locally and internationally, in the fight against climate change.”","

In Pakistan, severe air pollution silently impacts public health and well-being nationwide. Yet, due to a dire lack of air quality data, air quality monitors, and public awareness, the scale of the threat remains largely unseen.

In 2024, Pakistan was the third most polluted country in the world, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 73.7 μg/m3 and exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended annual guideline of 5 μg/m3 by 14.7 times. Numerous cities experienced poor air quality, with high average PM2.5 concentrations measured for Islamabad (52.4 μg/m3), Rawalpindi (65.8 μg/m3), Faisalabad (88.8 μg/m3), Peshawar (91.0 μg/m3), and Lahore (102.1 μg/m3) – all exceeding the WHO recommended guideline by ten times or more.

Recognizing the urgency of this crisis, WWF-Pakistan has taken significant steps to address air pollution using IQAir’s air quality monitoring technology. WWF-Pakistan has successfully deployed stations across Pakistan and published data to IQAir’s AirVisual platform, establishing the country’s largest air quality monitoring network. With this initiative, WWF-Pakistan is transforming how the country understands and confronts this invisible threat.

\"We have successfully reached the goal of installing AirVisual Outdoor sensors in 15 of our offices across Pakistan,\" said WWF-Pakistan’s Research Officer, Muhammad Huzaifa who led this initiative in Pakistan.

As of now, WWF-Pakistan has air monitoring stations located in key regions like Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. They provide real-time data that is accessible to both policymakers and the public. \"We are excited to say that we’ve published the data from these stations to IQAir’s platform, where communities can see their local air quality in real-time.”

Why Pakistan Needs Reliable Air Quality Data

Pakistan's urban centers, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, frequently grapple with thick layers of smog. While this is a visible reminder of air pollution, the more dangerous pollutants often remain unseen and unmonitored. One of the greatest challenges in Pakistan has been the need for more reliable, public air quality data.

\"Our air quality network provides crucial air quality data in some of Pakistan’s most polluted regions and are often ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world\" Huzaifa explained.

WWF-Pakistan, the nation’s largest environmental organization, has been addressing critical environmental issues since 1970. Originally focused on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, the organization’s scope has broadened to include tackling climate change, protecting vulnerable habitats, and securing vital resources like freshwater. Now, through their air quality monitoring initiative, they are addressing one of the most pressing health and environmental crises facing Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, there is little public air quality data available,” Huzaifa noted. “This information vacuum has left policymakers and citizens unprepared to tackle the pollution crisis.” WWF-Pakistan’s initiative helps fill this gap, ensuring the public has access to real-time, localized air quality data.

With real-time data now available, citizens, governments, and policymakers can work together to implement solutions, reduce pollution and improve health outcomes across the country.

Building Pakistan's National Air Quality Network

WWF-Pakistan’s initiative, which involves installing air quality sensors in key cities across the country, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s battle against air pollution. By coordinating 15 monitoring stations under one national initiative, WWF-Pakistan now operates the country’s largest organized air quality monitoring network, making real-time data accessible to both citizens and policymakers.

Partnering with IQAir adds both credibility and precision to the project. \"IQAir's AirVisual air quality monitors are globally recognized for their accuracy and ability to track even the smallest fluctuations in air quality,\" said Huzaifa. \"IQAir's technology is built to withstand all sorts of weather and having it in place ensures that people will trust the data.\" This transparency is essential for mobilizing both community efforts and policy interventions, as reliable information is crucial to driving meaningful change.

Using Air Quality Data to Combat Pollution in Pakistan

With the sensors online and data flowing into the IQAir platform, WWF-Pakistan's live contributor profile showcases the impact of their work, allowing anyone to monitor air quality in real-time. This transparency empowers citizens and policymakers alike to take informed action, using reliable data to drive meaningful change across the country. Explore WWF-Pakistan’s profile to see the live data from their monitoring stations across Pakistan.

\"Data isn’t just a tool for awareness—it’s the foundation for meaningful action,\" Nazifa Butt, Director Climate Action and Sustainability WWF-Pakistan emphasized. “Now that we have the data, we have something to report and base our decisions on.”

Nazifa emphasized the importance of storytelling. “We’re going to have to tell two parts of the story,” she explained, pointing out how data can not only expose alarming trends but also inspire communities to push for change—through policies, advocacy, and local initiatives.

With 18,800 followers across its national network, WWF-Pakistan is sharing that data every day with citizens who urgently need real-time air quality information to help protect themselves from pollution.

Pakistan's Long-Term Pollution Solutions

WWF-Pakistan envisions a future where every region of the country has access to real-time, accurate air quality data.

\"Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan,\" Nazifa explained. By providing access to this data, WWF-Pakistan aims to foster a culture of proactive health management, where individuals and communities can take the steps necessary to protect themselves from pollution.

The air quality data being gathered is more than just numbers—it’s a lifeline for communities struggling with the dangers of polluted air. “Our initiative is laying the foundation for a National Clean Air Research Centre,\" Huzaifa said. \"This will be a hub for research and data-driven policies, enabling us to tackle pollution with innovative strategies.\"

“Each sensor we deploy is a step closer to a healthier, more sustainable Pakistan.”

In October 2024, WWF-Pakistan warned that Lahore’s air quality posed a terrible threat to public health, recommending a number of changes to government policy including helping farmers manage crop waste, expanding mass transit, and improving zoning laws to reduce industrial pollution away from residents.

It also noted that low-cost air quality monitoring systems could be used to uncover air pollution hotspots along traffic routes. Armed with that information, governments could restrict heavy transport vehicles or develop alternate routes to avoid congestion (1).

Beyond their air quality monitoring project, the WWF-Pakistan team oversees more than 60 active environmental protection initiatives in FY 2025 across the country, ranging from clean water access and forest preservation to sustainable infrastructure development. These efforts, working in tandem with the air quality monitoring network, are all part of WWF's broader mission to protect the planet's natural environment and create a future where both people and nature can thrive in harmony.

Conclusion

WWF-Pakistan's initiative is a testament to the transformative power of air quality data, technology, and collective will in addressing one of today’s most pressing challenges. And by increasing the footprint of air quality monitors across the country, innovative solutions to persistent pollution problems can be put into play.

As this vital work advances, it invites everyone to contribute to the cause—because in the fight for clean air, every voice and every action matters.

“This initiative,” Nazifa said, “lays the foundation for what we envision as Pakistan’s future air quality innovation hub. It will serve as a hub for developing strategies and methods to tackle air pollution, aligning efforts across governmental and non-governmental sectors, both locally and internationally, in the fight against climate change.”

","revealing-the-invisible-wwf-pakistan","gid://shopify/Article/997495079286","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/revealing-the-invisible-wwf-pakistan","2025-11-12T17:43:03Z",[643,648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: WWF-Pakistan’s mission for clean air",{"_10":1579,"_243":1580,"_246":1581,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/410126352758","WWF Team standing Next to Solar Panel","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/AQL_PakistanContributor_Desk_A_a18d7b5d-29f7-4e70-ad5d-e0c4f15aebc6.jpg?v=1762969386",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1583,"_1115":1584,"_1131":43,"_1133":43,"_1135":1585,"_1137":1586,"_985":1587,"_10":1588,"_1141":1589,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1590,"_577":1591,"_541":1592,"_1148":1593},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"In the slender West African nation of Gambia, Dr. Sunkaru Touray of Permian Health Lung Institute is leading an unprecedented initiative to illuminate the invisible dangers of air pollution through the strategic deployment of low-cost air quality monitors. A vision born from necessity Dr. Touray, a pulmonologist and critical care physician originally from Kartong, The Gambia, was profoundly affected by the respiratory issues he encountered while practicing in New Mexico. These issues, often linked to hydrocarbon exposure and environmental pollutants, spurred him to address similar problems in Gambia, where air quality data is scarce. \"There's a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air,\" Dr. Touray noted. Recognizing the parallels between New Mexico and Gambia, Dr. Touray envisioned the Permian Health Clean Air Initiative. This initiative aims not only to collect data but to empower Gambians with knowledge, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air. “There’s a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air.” –Dr. Sunkaru Touray, Founder, Permian Health The journey of Permian Health Permian Health's mission is clear: to democratize access to air quality data in Gambia by installing low-cost air quality monitors throughout the country. The team selected IQAir’s AirVisual outdoor monitors for this critical work. “These devices are proven to be reliable, user-friendly, and can operate on solar power,” Dr. Touray said. “They also have 4G LTE connectivity,” which make the monitors ideally suited for Gambia's diverse environments—from the bustling streets of Banjul to the rural countryside. \"The goal,\" Dr. Touray explained, \"is not just to collect data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.\" Highlighting areas of concern: Brikama’s air quality Brikama stands as a poignant example of the challenges faced across Gambia. Known for its bustling markets and as a hub for both commerce and community life, the town also grapples with air quality issues that pose risks to its residents. By placing monitors in strategic locations, including the busy highway through Brikama, Permian Health is mapping pollution levels and raising awareness among the local population about the air they breathe daily—while simultaneously acting as a testament to the potential of grassroots air monitoring networks in challenging regions. Dr. Touray said, \"As we look to the future, the lessons learned from Brikama will inform our expansion strategies to other regions facing similar challenges. Our success in achieving nationwide coverage, with Brikama as a keystone in our network, exemplifies the scalable model of Permian Health Clean Air Initiative.” “The goal is not to just collect the data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health.” Local feedback has been largely positive. According to Dr. Touray, real-time access to air quality monitor information has improved local understanding of the dangers of poor air quality, especially during the dry, dusty Harmattan season typically experienced from November to March. Permian Health has collaborated with local groups such as the Brikama Nema Diaspora Group (BRIND) and Karamie’s Health clinic to install sensors in key areas, allowing residents and medical professionals to access real-time air quality data. Pioneering work on the ground To date, the Permian Health air quality network has grown to 14 sensors, achieving nationwide coverage with an air quality sensor in all regions of The Gambia—proof of the project's rapid scalability and success. The project has successfully installed air quality monitors in various locations, including urban areas and industrial sites. These monitors provide real-time data on pollutants like PM2.5, which pose the greatest threat to human health, offering invaluable insights into the air pollution across different regions of Gambia. \"We have sensors in the most densely populated areas,” Dr. Touray said. \"Through the process of collecting PM 2.5 data in Gambia and identifying pollution hotspots, we educate the public about air quality and its impact on public health—and also communicate the importance of installing air quality sensors as a means to make a change.\" This foundational work sets the stage for enhanced accuracy and credibility in air quality monitoring, as underscored by a pivotal development in the project's journey. “The recent addition of a reference-grade monitor donated by MetOne marks a significant leap in our capacity for precision and validation of the data collected by our existing sensor network,” Dr. Touray said. However, maintaining and expanding the network can be impeded by dust accumulation on solar panels during the Harmattan season, unreliable power supplies, and other issues. ‘While we have made significant progress in addressing some of these challenges, connectivity and maintenance in remote areas remain ongoing hurdles in our efforts to maintain and expand the sensor network efficiently,’ Dr. Touray explained. Uniting minds and garnering accolades To raise awareness about their work, Permian Health has created a promotional video which serves as a powerful tool to inform and engage the public about their project. A key milestone for the project was the establishment of the first air quality conference in Gambia, bringing together stakeholders from the government, academia, and civil society to discuss the findings and implications of the collected data. \"This conference was a pivotal moment for us, marking the beginning of a national conversation on air quality,\" reflects Dr. Touray. This national conversation is already making a policy impact. The Ministry of Health has issued public health advisories several times since the air quality sensors were deployed, raising air quality awareness in communities around the country. Dr. Touray emphasizes the importance of partnering with the Gambian government to leverage their data for national air quality standards and planning. \"Working closely with governmental bodies is crucial for our success,\" Dr. Touray notes, highlighting his strong connections within the National Environment Agency, which have been supportive of their endeavors. With the NEA, Permian Health was able to release their first air quality report based on initial installations. This sets the table for future updates from newly installed sensors. Additionally, the project's recent recognition by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago with an Air Quality Award underscores the global acknowledgment of their impactful work. This prestigious award will enable Permian Health to scale their network further. Currently, there are 22 low-cost sensors deployed, and Gambia will, for the first time ever, have a reference monitor to assist in enhancing air quality monitoring and assessment. Hopes for the Future Thanks to their recent Air Quality award, Permian Health acquired an additional 10 sensors, bringing the total to 26 sensors across The Gambia. Six new sensors have been deployed to NEA headquarters, two major health centers with support from the Ministry of Health, and in housing developments in partnership with Gambia’s largest real estate company, TAF Africa Global. The remaining sensors will be deployed to the National Stadium, Gambia International Airport, the Seaport in Banjul, and a major intersection as soon as final government approvals are processed. Dr. Touray envisions a future where every Gambian has access to air quality information, enabling them to protect themselves and their families from air pollution. Furthermore, he hopes to leverage the data collected to advocate for stronger environmental policies and regulations in Gambia. “We’re not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change.” \"We're not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change,\" says Dr. Touray. \"Our ultimate goal is for Gambia to set national air quality standards, informed by the comprehensive data we've gathered.\" A key step toward this goal is the second Clean Air Conference, which Permian Health is organizing in partnership with the NEA. The event will bring together stakeholders, including officials from the ministries of Health, Environment, Transport, and Education, to develop a national air quality work plan. According to Dr. Touray, Permian Health is conducting an inventory assessment to determine the key sources of pollution, such as waste burning, reliance on charcoal and firewood for cooking, and transport-related emissions. \"Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen our collaboration with the NEA and the Ministry of Health, to expand and maintain our sensor network.\" \"We plan to enhance public awareness campaigns, especially during high-risk periods, to better inform the community about air quality concerns. We would also like to engage more with local TV stations for them to display air quality and weather information from our network. Conclusion Dr. Sunkaru Touray's work with Permian Health exemplifies innovative activism. The project not only addresses air quality data gaps but also empowers communities to tackle air pollution—an issue that transcends borders. Dr. Touray's mission goes beyond air quality monitoring; it's about transforming the quality of public health around the world.","

In the slender West African nation of Gambia, Dr. Sunkaru Touray of Permian Health Lung Institute is leading an unprecedented initiative to illuminate the invisible dangers of air pollution through the strategic deployment of low-cost air quality monitors.

A vision born from necessity

Dr. Touray, a pulmonologist and critical care physician originally from Kartong, The Gambia, was profoundly affected by the respiratory issues he encountered while practicing in New Mexico. These issues, often linked to hydrocarbon exposure and environmental pollutants, spurred him to address similar problems in Gambia, where air quality data is scarce. \"There's a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air,\" Dr. Touray noted.

Recognizing the parallels between New Mexico and Gambia, Dr. Touray envisioned the Permian Health Clean Air Initiative. This initiative aims not only to collect data but to empower Gambians with knowledge, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.

\n
“There’s a significant data gap in Africa when it comes to understanding our air.”
\n
–Dr. Sunkaru Touray, Founder, Permian Health
\n

The journey of Permian Health

Permian Health's mission is clear: to democratize access to air quality data in Gambia by installing low-cost air quality monitors throughout the country. The team selected IQAir’s AirVisual outdoor monitors for this critical work. “These devices are proven to be reliable, user-friendly, and can operate on solar power,” Dr. Touray said. “They also have 4G LTE connectivity,” which make the monitors ideally suited for Gambia's diverse environments—from the bustling streets of Banjul to the rural countryside.

\"The goal,\" Dr. Touray explained, \"is not just to collect data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health and advocate for cleaner air.\"

Highlighting areas of concern: Brikama’s air quality

Brikama stands as a poignant example of the challenges faced across Gambia. Known for its bustling markets and as a hub for both commerce and community life, the town also grapples with air quality issues that pose risks to its residents. By placing monitors in strategic locations, including the busy highway through Brikama, Permian Health is mapping pollution levels and raising awareness among the local population about the air they breathe daily—while simultaneously acting as a testament to the potential of grassroots air monitoring networks in challenging regions.

$\"\"$

Dr. Touray said, \"As we look to the future, the lessons learned from Brikama will inform our expansion strategies to other regions facing similar challenges. Our success in achieving nationwide coverage, with Brikama as a keystone in our network, exemplifies the scalable model of Permian Health Clean Air Initiative.”

\n
“The goal is not to just collect the data but to empower our communities with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health.”
\n

Local feedback has been largely positive. According to Dr. Touray, real-time access to air quality monitor information has improved local understanding of the dangers of poor air quality, especially during the dry, dusty Harmattan season typically experienced from November to March.

Permian Health has collaborated with local groups such as the Brikama Nema Diaspora Group (BRIND) and Karamie’s Health clinic to install sensors in key areas, allowing residents and medical professionals to access real-time air quality data.

Pioneering work on the ground

To date, the Permian Health air quality network has grown to 14 sensors, achieving nationwide coverage with an air quality sensor in all regions of The Gambia—proof of the project's rapid scalability and success. The project has successfully installed air quality monitors in various locations, including urban areas and industrial sites. These monitors provide real-time data on pollutants like PM2.5, which pose the greatest threat to human health, offering invaluable insights into the air pollution across different regions of Gambia. \"We have sensors in the most densely populated areas,” Dr. Touray said. \"Through the process of collecting PM 2.5 data in Gambia and identifying pollution hotspots, we educate the public about air quality and its impact on public health—and also communicate the importance of installing air quality sensors as a means to make a change.\"

This foundational work sets the stage for enhanced accuracy and credibility in air quality monitoring, as underscored by a pivotal development in the project's journey. “The recent addition of a reference-grade monitor donated by MetOne marks a significant leap in our capacity for precision and validation of the data collected by our existing sensor network,” Dr. Touray said.

However, maintaining and expanding the network can be impeded by dust accumulation on solar panels during the Harmattan season, unreliable power supplies, and other issues.

‘While we have made significant progress in addressing some of these challenges, connectivity and maintenance in remote areas remain ongoing hurdles in our efforts to maintain and expand the sensor network efficiently,’ Dr. Touray explained.

Uniting minds and garnering accolades

To raise awareness about their work, Permian Health has created a promotional video which serves as a powerful tool to inform and engage the public about their project.

A key milestone for the project was the establishment of the first air quality conference in Gambia, bringing together stakeholders from the government, academia, and civil society to discuss the findings and implications of the collected data.

\"This conference was a pivotal moment for us, marking the beginning of a national conversation on air quality,\" reflects Dr. Touray.

This national conversation is already making a policy impact. The Ministry of Health has issued public health advisories several times since the air quality sensors were deployed, raising air quality awareness in communities around the country.

Dr. Touray emphasizes the importance of partnering with the Gambian government to leverage their data for national air quality standards and planning. \"Working closely with governmental bodies is crucial for our success,\" Dr. Touray notes, highlighting his strong connections within the National Environment Agency, which have been supportive of their endeavors.

With the NEA, Permian Health was able to release their first air quality report based on initial installations. This sets the table for future updates from newly installed sensors.

Additionally, the project's recent recognition by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago with an Air Quality Award underscores the global acknowledgment of their impactful work. This prestigious award will enable Permian Health to scale their network further.

Currently, there are 22 low-cost sensors deployed, and Gambia will, for the first time ever, have a reference monitor to assist in enhancing air quality monitoring and assessment.

Hopes for the Future

Thanks to their recent Air Quality award, Permian Health acquired an additional 10 sensors, bringing the total to 26 sensors across The Gambia.

$\"\"$

Six new sensors have been deployed to NEA headquarters, two major health centers with support from the Ministry of Health, and in housing developments in partnership with Gambia’s largest real estate company, TAF Africa Global. The remaining sensors will be deployed to the National Stadium, Gambia International Airport, the Seaport in Banjul, and a major intersection as soon as final government approvals are processed.

Dr. Touray envisions a future where every Gambian has access to air quality information, enabling them to protect themselves and their families from air pollution. Furthermore, he hopes to leverage the data collected to advocate for stronger environmental policies and regulations in Gambia.

\n
“We’re not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change.”
\n

\"We're not just collecting data for the sake of it. We want to drive change,\" says Dr. Touray. \"Our ultimate goal is for Gambia to set national air quality standards, informed by the comprehensive data we've gathered.\"

A key step toward this goal is the second Clean Air Conference, which Permian Health is organizing in partnership with the NEA. The event will bring together stakeholders, including officials from the ministries of Health, Environment, Transport, and Education, to develop a national air quality work plan.

According to Dr. Touray, Permian Health is conducting an inventory assessment to determine the key sources of pollution, such as waste burning, reliance on charcoal and firewood for cooking, and transport-related emissions. \"Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen our collaboration with the NEA and the Ministry of Health, to expand and maintain our sensor network.\"

\"We plan to enhance public awareness campaigns, especially during high-risk periods, to better inform the community about air quality concerns. We would also like to engage more with local TV stations for them to display air quality and weather information from our network.

Conclusion

Dr. Sunkaru Touray's work with Permian Health exemplifies innovative activism. The project not only addresses air quality data gaps but also empowers communities to tackle air pollution—an issue that transcends borders.

Dr. Touray's mission goes beyond air quality monitoring; it's about transforming the quality of public health around the world.

","permian-health-air-quality-crusade-in-gambia","gid://shopify/Article/998083264886","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/permian-health-air-quality-crusade-in-gambia","2025-03-24T10:03:00Z",[643,648,838],"Revealing the Invisible: Permian Health’s air quality crusade in Gambia",{"_10":1594,"_243":1595,"_246":1596,"_248":1152,"_244":1153},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/407094034806","Man working on pole","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/PermianHealth_Desk_A_82dc4964-aaa3-4053-96ec-1d5218eb3bd9.jpg?v=1754470616",{"_1124":1125,"_1126":1598,"_1115":1599,"_1131":1600,"_1133":1601,"_1135":1602,"_1137":1603,"_985":1604,"_10":1605,"_1141":1606,"_1143":-5,"_1144":1607,"_577":1608,"_541":1610,"_1148":1611},{"_12":1128},{"_985":1130},"A kitten rescue in Ontario needed a powerful clean air solution fast – and found it. Learn more about the essential role of clean air in shelters.","

A kitten rescue in Ontario needed a powerful clean air solution fast – and found it. Learn more about the essential role of clean air in shelters.

","Nestled in a small town near Cornwall, Canada, Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue serves as a lifeline for abandoned and vulnerable kittens (1). For nearly eight years, rescue founder Mellissa has worked tirelessly to save and nurture the most fragile feline lives in the region. Yet despite Mellissa’s dedication to maintaining a clean environment for those in her care, animal rescues must always contend with a formidable health challenge. Poor air quality impacts both kittens and the humans who care for them. Thanks to advanced air purification technology, the rescue now breathes easier—literally and figuratively. Mission built on compassion Mellissa’s journey to creating Tiny but Mighty began with heartbreak. As a volunteer at her local animal shelter, she learned of the euthanasia of kittens deemed too young to care for. Unwilling to accept this outcome, she founded her own kitten-focused rescue in 2017. “I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.” “I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. They wouldn’t let up,” Mellissa shared. “Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.” Mellissa provides a safe space for kittens to grow and thrive until they find their carefully screened forever homes. Today, the rescue operates solely on donations and community support. “It’s such an incredible community. People do come through to support what I’m doing, so it’s incredible.” But running a rescue isn’t without its challenges, and one significant one she uncovered was air quality. Nova the kitten enjoying toys at the Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. Good air quality: Essential in animal rescues Caring for kittens in any enclosed environment presents unique challenges. Despite her meticulous cleaning habits, Mellissa found air quality to be a problem. “The dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and sneeze.” There would still be dust, odors, and allergens in the space “even though I use 99% dust-free litter.” Mellissa explained. “It’s great compared to some I’ve tried, but the dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and make little sneezes.” This poor air quality not only affected visitors but also had potential health implications for the kittens and Mellissa herself. Dust mites, microscopic creatures that feed on animal’s dead skin, can cause year-round allergic reactions in both cats and humans, including sneezing, runny and itchy noses, watery eyes, and even rashes. Components of pet dander can also act as an allergen, triggering similar reactions. Determined to find a solution to her dust problem, she began her search for an air purifier that could meet the rescue’s unique needs. Life changing air cleaning solution Determined to tackle the persistent dust and allergens, Mellissa sought an air purifier that could truly meet the unique demands of her rescue. After years of frustration with a previous model, she knew she needed a solution that could handle constant activity, fine dust particles, and odors effectively. Mellissa recalled, “The dust was still spreading throughout the house, and I thought, ‘this is just not enough.’” That’s when Mellissa’s father suggested looking into IQAir’s HealthPro Plus XE. Intrigued by its reputation for advanced filtration capabilities, Mellissa decided to give it a try—and the results were immediate and noticeable. The HealthPro Plus XE is equipped with HyperHEPA filtration, capable of capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns—100 times smaller than most air purifiers can filter. This efficiency, proven to remove particles far smaller than bacteria or viruses, combined with gas-phase filtration to eliminate odors, made it an ideal solution for the rescue’s air quality challenges. “The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact,” Mellissa shared. The HealthPro Plus XE at work next to Leia the cat. Not only did she see a dramatic improvement in the air quality for the kittens, but visitors also noticed the difference. The previously lingering food and litter odors were gone. “I definitely don’t smell that anymore,” Mellissa said. “I’m really impressed.” “The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact.” When it comes to daily use, Mellissa has found a setup that works perfectly for the rescue’s needs. During cleaning, she runs the fan at its highest setting, ensuring dust and particles are quickly filtered out. For everyday operation, she adjusts the fan to levels 2 or 3, which run quietly enough not to disturb the kittens at night. Looking ahead For Mellissa, clean air ensures a brighter future for Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. She intends to continue providing even more kittens with a safe haven before transitioning to loving homes. The cleaner air and lack of odor in the rescue has already improved adoption visits, a critical step in finding forever homes for the kittens. Mellissa emphasizes her desire to address the root cause of ownerless kittens—unspayed and neutered animals in the population. She hopes to get the word out to more pet owners about the crucial role of spaying and neutering their animals. As she warns, “the cat overpopulation is so crazy here. Spay and neuter your cats, spay and neuter your dogs to help lower those populations.” Conclusion Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue’s story underscores the profound difference clean air technology can make in transforming lives—both human and animal. For Mellissa, investing in air purification wasn’t just about solving a nuisance; it was about creating a healthier, more inviting space where kittens could thrive and visitors could feel comfortable. By addressing the often-overlooked issue of air quality, she has set a powerful example for other rescues, shelters, and even individual pet owners facing similar challenges.","

Nestled in a small town near Cornwall, Canada, Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue serves as a lifeline for abandoned and vulnerable kittens (1). For nearly eight years, rescue founder Mellissa has worked tirelessly to save and nurture the most fragile feline lives in the region.

Yet despite Mellissa’s dedication to maintaining a clean environment for those in her care, animal rescues must always contend with a formidable health challenge. Poor air quality impacts both kittens and the humans who care for them.

Thanks to advanced air purification technology, the rescue now breathes easier—literally and figuratively.

Mission built on compassion

Mellissa’s journey to creating Tiny but Mighty began with heartbreak. As a volunteer at her local animal shelter, she learned of the euthanasia of kittens deemed too young to care for. Unwilling to accept this outcome, she founded her own kitten-focused rescue in 2017.

“I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.”

“I had so many dreams about saving these kittens. They wouldn’t let up,” Mellissa shared. “Something told me to just do it myself—start my own rescue.”

Mellissa provides a safe space for kittens to grow and thrive until they find their carefully screened forever homes. Today, the rescue operates solely on donations and community support. “It’s such an incredible community. People do come through to support what I’m doing, so it’s incredible.”

But running a rescue isn’t without its challenges, and one significant one she uncovered was air quality.

Nova the kitten enjoying toys at the Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue.

Good air quality: Essential in animal rescues

Caring for kittens in any enclosed environment presents unique challenges. Despite her meticulous cleaning habits, Mellissa found air quality to be a problem.

“The dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and sneeze.”

There would still be dust, odors, and allergens in the space “even though I use 99% dust-free litter.” Mellissa explained. “It’s great compared to some I’ve tried, but the dust is crazy. The kittens will go in their litter box and make little sneezes.”

This poor air quality not only affected visitors but also had potential health implications for the kittens and Mellissa herself. Dust mites, microscopic creatures that feed on animal’s dead skin, can cause year-round allergic reactions in both cats and humans, including sneezing, runny and itchy noses, watery eyes, and even rashes.

Components of pet dander can also act as an allergen, triggering similar reactions.

Determined to find a solution to her dust problem, she began her search for an air purifier that could meet the rescue’s unique needs.

Life changing air cleaning solution

Determined to tackle the persistent dust and allergens, Mellissa sought an air purifier that could truly meet the unique demands of her rescue. After years of frustration with a previous model, she knew she needed a solution that could handle constant activity, fine dust particles, and odors effectively.

Mellissa recalled, “The dust was still spreading throughout the house, and I thought, ‘this is just not enough.’”

That’s when Mellissa’s father suggested looking into IQAir’s HealthPro Plus XE. Intrigued by its reputation for advanced filtration capabilities, Mellissa decided to give it a try—and the results were immediate and noticeable.

The HealthPro Plus XE is equipped with HyperHEPA filtration, capable of capturing particles as small as 0.003 microns—100 times smaller than most air purifiers can filter. This efficiency, proven to remove particles far smaller than bacteria or viruses, combined with gas-phase filtration to eliminate odors, made it an ideal solution for the rescue’s air quality challenges.

“The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact,” Mellissa shared.

$\"\"$

The HealthPro Plus XE at work next to Leia the cat.

Not only did she see a dramatic improvement in the air quality for the kittens, but visitors also noticed the difference. The previously lingering food and litter odors were gone. “I definitely don’t smell that anymore,” Mellissa said. “I’m really impressed.”

“The kittens aren’t sneezing anymore. The air purifier has had a huge impact.”

When it comes to daily use, Mellissa has found a setup that works perfectly for the rescue’s needs. During cleaning, she runs the fan at its highest setting, ensuring dust and particles are quickly filtered out. For everyday operation, she adjusts the fan to levels 2 or 3, which run quietly enough not to disturb the kittens at night.

Looking ahead

For Mellissa, clean air ensures a brighter future for Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue. She intends to continue providing even more kittens with a safe haven before transitioning to loving homes.

The cleaner air and lack of odor in the rescue has already improved adoption visits, a critical step in finding forever homes for the kittens.

Mellissa emphasizes her desire to address the root cause of ownerless kittens—unspayed and neutered animals in the population. She hopes to get the word out to more pet owners about the crucial role of spaying and neutering their animals. As she warns, “the cat overpopulation is so crazy here. Spay and neuter your cats, spay and neuter your dogs to help lower those populations.”

Conclusion

Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue’s story underscores the profound difference clean air technology can make in transforming lives—both human and animal.

For Mellissa, investing in air purification wasn’t just about solving a nuisance; it was about creating a healthier, more inviting space where kittens could thrive and visitors could feel comfortable. By addressing the often-overlooked issue of air quality, she has set a powerful example for other rescues, shelters, and even individual pet owners facing similar challenges.

","cleaner-air-healthier-kittens-iqair-supports-tiny-but-mighty-rescue","gid://shopify/Article/997882986870","https://shop-gl-eur.iqair.com/blogs/news/cleaner-air-healthier-kittens-iqair-supports-tiny-but-mighty-rescue","2025-01-27T04:00:00Z",[1609,838],"Pets","Cleaner air, healthier kittens: Tiny but Mighty Kitten Rescue",{"_10":1612,"_243":1613,"_246":1614,"_248":1615,"_244":1616},"gid://shopify/ArticleImage/396322505078","Cat resting next to air purifier.","https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0677/4059/8571/articles/KittenRescue_Desk_520x500_b51e6557-89fd-41e0-a21b-816616233043.jpg?v=1739826680",520,271,"geoSpotlight",{"_1619":1620,"_2119":2120},"spotlightItems",[1621,1981,2110],{"_12":1622,"_1623":1624,"_1625":1626,"_29":1627,"_1628":1629,"_1632":1633,"_1130":1634,"_10":1639,"_985":1640,"_1641":1642},"Ben Avon AQI Alert","range",75,"markerIconUrl","https://cdn.airvisual.net/assets/marker-images/generic.png","autoGenCustomMarker","location",[1630,1631],-80.0821377,40.5051586,"timestamp","2026-03-23T06:04:25.107Z",{"_246":1635,"_541":1636,"_1637":1638},"https://www.iqair.com/us/newsroom/unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups","Ben Avon has \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" air quality. See the map and health recommendations.","thumbnail","https://www.iqair.com/dl/app/notifications/Notification_Daily_AQI_Face_03_Orange@3x.png","autoGenCustomMarker:city-5bc822e841fdcdf1939e7d23","unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups","article",{"_541":1643,"_985":1640,"_1131":1644,"_1135":1645,"_1137":1646,"_1144":1647,"_577":1648,"_1126":1649,"_1148":1650,"_980":1654,"_1657":-5,"_1658":-5,"_1659":1660,"_1663":-5,"_1664":-5,"_1665":1666},"When air quality is \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\"","Learn about the risks of this AQI range and protect the vulnerable from potential hazards.","Understanding the \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" AQI Range An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 101-150 is deemed \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.\" Sensitive groups include: Children The Elderly Pregnant People People with cardiac and pulmonary diseases .recommendations-container { border: 1px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 12px; background-color: #f9fafb; padding: 24px; color: #111827; font-family: sans-serif; } .recommendations-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; } .recommendations-table th, .recommendations-table td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 16px; vertical-align: middle; } .recommendations-title { color: #499fbc; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.5em; } .recommendation-subheading { font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0; } .recommendation-block { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 8px; justify-content: center; padding: 16px 0; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 50px; height: auto; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 18px; text-align: center; } /* Responsive styling */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .recommendations-table, .recommendations-table thead, .recommendations-table tbody, .recommendations-table tr, .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { display: block; width: 100%; } .recommendations-table tr { margin-bottom: 20px; } .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { text-align: center; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; } .recommendation-block { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 16px; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 40px; } } HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS How to protect from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups pollution Wear a mask outdoors and indoorsGET A MASK Run an air purifierGET AN AIR PURIFIER Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor airGET A MONITOR Reduce outdoor exercise Protective Measures for Sensitive Groups When air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, everyone is at risk for eye, skin, and throat irritation, as well as respiratory problems. The public should greatly reduce outdoor exertion. While the broader population might still be largely unaffected, sensitive groups are at much greater health risk and should be very cautious. They should avoid all outdoor activity. How can I protect myself when air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality. Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Sensitive groups should stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants","

Understanding the \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups\" AQI Range

An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 101-150 is deemed \"Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.\" Sensitive groups include:

Children
The Elderly
Pregnant People
People with cardiac and pulmonary diseases

\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
How to protect from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups pollution
\n \n $\"Mask$ \n Wear a mask outdoors and indoors GET A MASK\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Air$ \n Run an air purifier GET AN AIR PURIFIER\n \n \n
\n \n $\"Monitor$ \n Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor air GET A MONITOR\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Exercise$ \n Reduce outdoor exercise \n \n

Protective Measures for Sensitive Groups

When air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, everyone is at risk for eye, skin, and throat irritation, as well as respiratory problems. The public should greatly reduce outdoor exertion.

While the broader population might still be largely unaffected, sensitive groups are at much greater health risk and should be very cautious. They should avoid all outdoor activity.

How can I protect myself when air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups?

Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality.
Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Sensitive groups should stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants

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Award-winning, medical-grade & gas/odor filtration for medium to large rooms.

IQAir's top-selling room air purifier, featuring advanced HyperHEPA filtration for particles of all sizes and V5-Cell filtration for gases and odors. Excellent for allergens, bacteria¹, dust, viruses² and VOCs. The HealthPro Plus XE model includes smart air monitoring, WiFi app integration, energy-efficient fan, and real-time PM2.5 measurement. Covers up to 1125 sq. ft.

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IQAir Mask redefines what wearing a protective KN95/FFP2 mask should feel like. Engineered to not only provide superior reduction for a wide range of airborne pollutants, but also designed to provide the most comfortable wearing experience ever. Valveless, medical-grade, all-day protection KN95-certified air pollution mask filters 95% of particles down to 0.3 microns, PM2.5, PM1, PM10, and other common particulates.","

High-performance, comfortable mask with tight seal for better protection.

IQAir Mask redefines what wearing a protective KN95/FFP2 mask should feel like. Engineered to not only provide superior reduction for a wide range of airborne pollutants, but also designed to provide the most comfortable wearing experience ever. Valveless, medical-grade, all-day protection KN95-certified air pollution mask filters 95% of particles down to 0.3 microns, PM2.5, PM1, PM10, and other common particulates.

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See the map and health recommendations.","https://www.iqair.com/dl/app/notifications/Notification_Daily_AQI_Face_06_Maroon@3x.png","autoGenCustomMarker:city-656d711bb9a8cf89b45f3946","hazardous-air-quality",{"_541":1994,"_985":1992,"_1131":1995,"_1135":1996,"_1137":1997,"_1144":1998,"_577":1999,"_1126":2000,"_1148":2001,"_980":2005,"_1657":-5,"_1658":-5,"_1659":2007,"_1663":-5,"_1664":-5,"_1665":2008},"When air quality is \"Hazardous\"","When the AQI enters the hazardous range, it's time to take serious precautions.","Grasping the Severity of Hazardous AQI An Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 300 is termed \"Hazardous.\" At this extreme, there's a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be severely affected. .recommendations-container { border: 1px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 12px; background-color: #f9fafb; padding: 24px; color: #111827; font-family: sans-serif; } .recommendations-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; } .recommendations-table th, .recommendations-table td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 16px; vertical-align: middle; } .recommendations-title { color: #499fbc; font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.5em; } .recommendation-subheading { font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0; } .recommendation-block { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 8px; justify-content: center; padding: 16px 0; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 50px; height: auto; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 18px; text-align: center; } /* Responsive styling */ @media (max-width: 768px) { .recommendations-table, .recommendations-table thead, .recommendations-table tbody, .recommendations-table tr, .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { display: block; width: 100%; } .recommendations-table tr { margin-bottom: 20px; } .recommendations-table td, .recommendations-table th { text-align: center; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; } .recommendation-block { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .recommendation-text { font-size: 16px; } .recommendation-block img { max-width: 40px; } } HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS How to protect from Hazardous pollution Wear a mask outdoors and indoorsGET A MASK Run an air purifierGET AN AIR PURIFIER Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor airGET A MONITOR Avoid outdoor exercise Protective Measures for Hazardous Air Quality When air quality is hazardous, everyone is at high risk of experiencing strong irritation and negative health effects that could trigger respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Avoid exercise and remain indoors. Avoid outdoor exercise. It is advisable to wear a pollution mask outdoors and indoors as well. Air purifiers should be turned on. Heed every local health advisory, and ensure homes are sealed effectively against the polluted air. Join the movement! Get a monitor and contribute to air quality data in your city BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR How can I protect myself when air quality is hazardous? Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality. Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data. Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode. Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Note that “Hazardous” pollution levels require a mask even when indoors.Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants. How to best protect from air pollution? Reduce your air pollution exposure Face Mask Air Purifier Air quality monitors /* Ensure full-width container */ .container { width: 100%; } /* Responsive styles */ @media (max-width: 768px) { /* Stack images vertically on smaller screens */ table { width: 100%; display: block; } table tr { display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } table td { width: 100%; padding: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 20px; } table td img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } /* Adjust h3 and p for smaller screens */ h3 { font-size: 1.5em; } p { font-size: 1.1em; } }","

Grasping the Severity of Hazardous AQI

An Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 300 is termed \"Hazardous.\" At this extreme, there's a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is likely to be severely affected.

\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
How to protect from Hazardous pollution
\n \n $\"Mask$ \n Wear a mask outdoors and indoors GET A MASK\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Air$ \n Run an air purifier GET AN AIR PURIFIER\n \n \n
\n \n $\"Monitor$ \n Close your windows to avoid dirty outdoor air GET A MONITOR\n \n \n	\n \n $\"Exercise$ \n Avoid outdoor exercise \n \n

\n

Protective Measures for Hazardous Air Quality

When air quality is hazardous, everyone is at high risk of experiencing strong irritation and negative health effects that could trigger respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Avoid exercise and remain indoors. Avoid outdoor exercise. It is advisable to wear a pollution mask outdoors and indoors as well. Air purifiers should be turned on. Heed every local health advisory, and ensure homes are sealed effectively against the polluted air.

Join the movement!

Get a monitor and contribute to air quality data in your city

BECOME A CONTRIBUTOR

How can I protect myself when air quality is hazardous?

\nGet a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts and consistently monitor your air quality.
Help increase the amount of ground-level monitors by becoming an air quality contributor. Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask. Note that “Hazardous” pollution levels require a mask even when indoors.Run a high-performance air purifier to filter pollutants, particles, gases, and other contaminants.

How to best protect from air pollution?

Reduce your air pollution exposure

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n $\"Mask\"$ \n

Face Mask

\n $\"HPP\"$ \n

Air Purifier

\n $\"AV$ \n

Air quality monitors

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Where will the 2026 Olympic games be held?

Why is the Po Valley’s air quality poor in winter?

Air quality lessons from past Olympics

How winter smog can affect athletes \n

How winter smog affects spectators

How to reduce exposure during winter smog

Conclusion

What pollutants come from road traffic

How far and how much pollution travels

Why traffic-related pollutants enter homes

The role of monitoring

How to reduce exposure when indoors

Conclusion

What is biomass burning?

Who breathes biomass smoke? \n

Where biomass is produced for energy

Where biomass is burned for daily survival

Why biomass burning remains widespread

Protect yourself from biomass smoke

Conclusion

\nThe winter dust paradox

Where does the dust come from?\n

Health risks of Arabian Peninsula regional dust\n

Protect yourself from dust

The takeaway

What is PM2.5?

Why is PM2.5 often the primary pollutant?

What is AQI?

What are the sources of PM2.5 pollution?

What are the chemical components of PM2.5?

How does PM2.5 pollution affect our health?

Is there a difference between PM2.5 and PM10?

What are the environmental effects of PM2.5 air quality?

What can be done about PM2.5 pollution?

Can PM2.5 affect indoor air quality?

What other air pollutants threaten your air quality?

Examples from history

Air pollution and premature death today

Why is air pollution so dangerous?

Take action against air pollution

Conclusion

Do you have a Christmas tree allergy?

Christmas trees and mold

Pollen can also be a problem

How do you prevent Christmas tree allergy?

What gifts are trending in 2024?

Is an air purifier a good gift?

Create a clean air haven

Air quality monitors

Great free gift idea: Air quality app

Personal protection for better air quality

Make sure gifts don’t decrease air quality

Give the gift of clean air to communities in need

Conclusion

1. Avoid infection on public transportation

Solution

2. Keep air travel pollution out of your public transportation

Solution

3. Holiday road trip

Solution

4. Keep your hotel room air clean

Solution

5. Know your air quality on the go

Conclusion

1. Airborne viruses

2. Winter allergies

3. Traffic pollution

4. Cooking and cleaning

5. Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves

6. Scented candles & fragrances

7. Christmas tree syndrome

8. Indoor plants

Conclusion

What is the connection between air pollution and climate change?

Key pollutants affecting poor air quality and climate change

How greenhouse gases and particulate matter differ

\n How air pollution affects weather patterns\n

Can air pollution affect the weather (meteorology)?

\n The double threat: Black carbon and arctic ice melt\n

\n How Reducing Air Pollution Helps Fight Climate Change\n

How winter smog can affect athletes
\n

Who breathes biomass smoke?
\n

Where does the dust come from?
\n

Health risks of Arabian Peninsula regional dust
\n

Health and wellness

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