Air quality in Phasi Charoen

Is the air in Phasi Charoen badly polluted?

Air quality conditions in Phasi Charoen may vary greatly throughout the course of the year. Typically, the middle period of the year is when air quality is at its best, which is a common theme throughout many areas of Thailand. However, due to its proximity to the capital city, Phasi Charoen can see rapid spikes in its air pollution levels that can be a cause for concern, particularly for more vulnerable members of the population as well as those that wish to keep their pollution exposure to a minimum. To use an example taken at the end of 2021, a US AQI figure of 107 was taken, placing Phasi Charoen into the 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' rating bracket, which as the name indicates may present a number of health issues for more at-risk individuals. The PM2.5 level was at a concentration of 38 μg/m³ when the above US AQI figure was taken, a reading that gave Phasi Charoen a PM2.5 level that is 7.6 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO's) annual safety exposure guidelines. With other readings going up as high as 138 on the US AQI scale in days prior to this, Phasi Charoen may have poor air quality levels that require certain preventative measures to be taken, or at the very least awareness of the dangers of pollution and what persistent exposure can do to one’s health.

What effects do poor air quality and high pollution levels have on your health in Phasi Charoen?

Health effects that may occur to individuals that have excessive amounts of pollution exposure in Phasi Charoen include irritation to both the skin as well as exposed mucous membranes (eyes, ears, nose and mouth), with acne, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis all being possible side effects of constant bombardment from harmful pollutants and chemicals in the air. Other more serious health issues include increased risk of infections of the respiratory tract, leading to dry coughs, irritation, as well as the development of illnesses that fall under the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bracket. Some of these include aggravated forms of asthma and bronchitis, as well as pneumonia and emphysema. Cancer rates may also go up, along with inhabitants having an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and even premature death, with a large number of people succumbing to pollution-related health problems throughout Thailand and indeed the rest of the world every year.

What are the main pollutants found in smoke and haze throughout Phasi Charoen?

Some pollutants that may be found in the air in Phasi Charoen include ones such as black carbon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to both of these pollutants being released from the burning of both organic material as well as fossil fuels, they can be found in fairly large quantities in many areas that see any level of industrial activity, or anywhere that has some form of burning or combustion occurring. Black carbon has many dangerous side effects when inhaled, as well as also having warming effects on the environment. Some examples of VOCs include benzene, methylene chloride, xylene and formaldehyde, all of which come with many adverse health effects when they enter the body. Other pollutants include those that go into making up the US AQI index, which are main chemical compounds such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone (smog), carbon monoxide and both PM10 and PM2.5.

Is it dangerous for certain people to live in Phasi Charoen?

Whilst a vast number of people may be able to live safely within Phasi Charoen, albeit with smaller side effects to their health during certain months of the year when pollution levels rise higher (as was mentioned above in the health issues question), there are many different types of people that are considered as being at higher risk to adverse health effects, being part of the vulnerable or sensitive groups demographic. These include people such as the elderly, particularly if they have any conditions that lead to poorer overall levels of health, with cardiac and pulmonary conditions being of primary importance when it comes to understanding how safe an individual will be when exposed to air pollution. Others include younger children, babies, as well as pregnant and expecting mothers, all of whom can have many adverse health effects occur when breathing in certain fumes, smoke and other noxious pollutants. Due to these chemicals having certain properties that alter the nervous system and cause damage to the lungs, heart and other organs, stunted growth, both physically and mentally may occur amongst younger demographics, as well as babies that are still being in the womb being exposed to second-hand pollution that enters the body of its mother. Others that may also be more at risk are people that have pre-existing health conditions, with ones that compromise the immune system being more prominent. With poor immune systems, simple coughs and upper or lower respiratory infections may develop into life-threatening ailments. As such, these groups may wish to take extra care during bouts of high air pollution in Phasi Charoen, even taking preventative measures when pollution levels rise to any degree beyond that of the 'good' US AQI rating.

Why are pollution levels higher in Phasi Charoen?

Air pollution in Phasi Charoen can manifest from a variety of sources, many of which are very similar to those that pollute other provinces and cities in Thailand. Vehicle fumes are one of these factors that are of significant concern, especially for the surrounding cities and districts of Bangkok, due to the large number of people situated outside of the direct city center, a common phenomenon due to lower property expenses and better quality of life. However, it is inevitable for a large amount of the population in areas such as Phasi Charoen to find employment within the city center itself, thus causing significant amounts of daily commutes to be made, causing rush hour traffic (a common sight in Bangkok that many inhabitants are aware of) to emit large amounts of hazardous particles, clouds of smoke, haze and smog as these vehicles travel out of Phasi Charoen. Older and lower quality vehicles remain prevalent, even though there are many incentives in place to gradually phase them out altogether. This will aid greatly in pollution reduction in the major cities of Thailand but may prove much greater of a task in provincial areas throughout the countryside where ancient motorbikes, cars and trucks remain in use, leaking much larger amounts of noxious oil vapors due to their poor engine quality, as well as their exhaust fumes spitting out great clouds of dark smoke. Furthermore, vehicles contribute to other forms of particle pollution, with the consistent wear and tear placed on tire treads giving rise to large amounts of microscopic rubber particles entering into the atmosphere. From here they can cause a large number of health issues when inhaled, triggering off pre-existing health conditions as well as potentially invading the bloodstream if their size is diminutive enough, as well as gathering in the environment and wreaking devastation on ecosystems. Other causes of pollution present in Phasi Charoen include smoke and haze from industrial activity, as was mentioned, with various industrial sites, factories, power plants and even private businesses that rely on the combustion of fuels, or even fossil fuels such as diesel, natural gas and coal to provide their energy needs. Other ones of note include dust given off from construction sites and road repairs, as well haze floating over from other provinces where slash and burn farming practices are still more heavily relied upon, despite being made illegal. This can cause seasonal spikes in pollution to occur, with the latter months of the year, namely September or October onwards, through to the early months of the following year.