Air quality in Mueang

Is Mueang badly polluted?

Mueang, being part of Phayao province in the northern regions of Thailand, is subject to higher levels of air pollution for many months of the year due to several activities that take place, with the issue of open burning being one of the most prominent, that will be discussed in further detail in the following question. In early November of 2021, Mueang was seen with a US AQI reading of 57, placing it into the 'moderate' air quality rating bracket, as well as having a PM2.5 reading that was 1.5 times higher than the recommended exposure limit set out by the World Health Organization (WHO). Whilst this is a not perfect level of air quality, there were many other days during this month, as well as prior, that had considerably better US AQI figures. As such, the air quality in Mueang can be subject to rapid change, and forecasts should be followed for accurate readings, utilizing the air quality maps, graphs and forecasts present on this page, as well as on the AirVisual app.

What causes air pollution levels to rise in Mueang?

A majority of the main contributing factors in elevated levels of air pollution present in Mueang revolve around the many combustion processes taking place. Due to its position in the northern regions of Thailand, Mueang is affected more prominently by slash and burn farming practices, which can cause the pollution levels to spike rapidly during the burning months of the year, which typically begin towards September or October and continue until the earlier months of the following year. Besides this more prominent pollutive issue, there are many other sources of air pollution present, such as the exhaust fumes released from vehicles in use on the road. With cars, motorbikes and heavier freight vehicles such as lorries and trucks in use on the road, they all compound the pollution situation and add to the overall PM2.5 and US AQI levels. It is not uncommon for many of these vehicles to be significantly aged, damaged, or in a poorer condition due to years of usage, which puts a greater strain on the environment due to the greater output of pollution into the atmosphere, due to the poor combustion process that takes place within run-down or damaged engines. Higher amounts of oil vapors, hazardous particles and chemical compounds are released from these more aged vehicles, typically in greater volumes than what is seen emanating from cleaner, newer, or more environmentally-friendly models. Referring back to the heavier freight vehicles contributing to motor-based pollution, many of these larger vehicles use diesel as their main fuel source, which as a result can give out many tons of chemical compounds and fine particles that come from the combustion of fossil fuels. Furthermore, microscopic rubber particles from the residual wear and tear of the tire treads are also thrown into the atmosphere in Mueang, leading to sizeable buildups in various ecosystems over longer periods. This causes particle pollution to go up by a considerable amount, impacting the soil and vegetation, as well as the various ecosystems around it. Other sources of air pollution include dust from construction sites, road repairs, and even demolition sites (all of which can be a major source of particulate matter, typically more than most people are aware), along with the burning of refuse or waste, although this continues to be on the decline in more developed areas and mostly a continuing issue within certain provinces or far away from any major cities.

What are some of the main types of pollutants present in the atmosphere in Mueang?

The main air pollutants present in the atmosphere in Mueang are those that go into forming the US AQI aggregate, namely sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide as well as the two main forms of particle-based pollution, PM10 and PM2.5, with the much smaller PM2.5 being the far more dangerous of the two, with many of the associated health risks of inhaling such material being discussed in the following question. Other pollutants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and black carbon, with some examples of VOCs being benzene, toluene, xylene and methylene chloride, as well as styrene and formaldehyde. Both are released in large amounts from the combustion of both fossil fuels as well as organic material, and as such the burning of farm or forest land can give off large amounts of black carbon, as well as industrial processes or even the use of cars.

Who may be more at risk of air pollution exposure in Mueang?

Vulnerable or at-risk groups who should take extra care to avoid pollution exposure in Mueang are ones such as young children, pregnant mothers and babies. The elderly should also take care to reduce their pollution exposure, along with those that have pre-existing health conditions, compromised immune systems or anyone with a hypersensitive disposition towards chemical or particle exposure.

What are the health risks associated with breathing polluted air in Mueang?

Continuous exposure to higher amounts of polluted air in Mueang can cause a large number of highly negative health effects and other serious conditions, particularly pertinent to those individuals who fall under the sensitive group's bracket. Of note though, is that even healthy adults may fall ill or sustain damage when air pollution exposure is excessive, or exposure takes place over a long period (particularly prominent for those who live closer to highly polluted areas, which include industrial districts or near busy roads and highways, where the air quality will be poor for a majority of the year). Many conditions that can arise as a result would be short-term ones such as dry throat and coughs, as well as chest pains and subsequent infections of the respiratory tract and lungs. These typically resolve themselves fairly quickly when exposure to air pollution is ceased. They can, however, also develop into more long-term or chronic issues, with continuous chest infections and coughing leading to the scarring of lung tissue, which often results in permanently decreased lung capacity. Additionally, the subsequent scarring or damage and inflammation to the tissue of the lungs will make individuals far more vulnerable to a whole host of respiratory distress, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting itself. COPD is an umbrella term that encompasses a plethora of lung and respiratory tract ailments, usually resulting in shortness of breath and other unwanted or adverse symptoms. Breathing in polluted air when an individual already suffers from pre-existing conditions can cause them to worsen, and thus progress into potentially more life-threatening forms of said illness. Some of the conditions that can be classified under the COPD bracket are aggravated forms of asthma, as well as emphysema, pneumonia and bronchitis. Other forms of damage that can happen within the body include increased risk of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and arrhythmias, as well as ischemic heart disease and many other cardiac or pulmonary conditions that can bring about decreased quality of life as well as lower an individual’s life expectancy in Mueang.