Turkish Thoracic Society Environmental Problems and Lung Health Working Committee Member Prof. Dr. Nilüfer Aykaç, in her statement, touched on the problems caused by air pollution. Aykaç said that air pollution is a serious public health problem and is as important for all living things as humans.
HARMFUL TO HUMAN HEALTH
Expressing that there is no limit in air pollution, Aykaç said, “Every speck of air pollution is important for the health of living things. We, as an association, draw up the air pollution map of Turkey every year. The reference value that WHO has just published for particulate matter in 2021 is below 10. ” he said.
Explaining that according to the data of air pollution stations, there is serious air pollution in Batman, Iğdır, Ağrı, Muş and Şırnak, Aykaç stated that air pollution puts human health in trouble.
IT HAS EFFECT ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS
Evaluating the analyzes made, Aykaç said:
“Air pollution starts to affect the baby from the mother’s womb. In places with air pollution, the baby is born with a lower lung capacity. If he continues to live there, they apply to the emergency department with frequent infections and acute attacks. “We have to fight as an international organization. We see that there are still thermal power plants in places where there is a lot of air pollution in Turkey. Especially developed countries in the world are abandoning fossil fuels. It is very important for us to say ‘stop’ to fossil fuels and to continue with more renewable energy to the air and environment.”
Pointing out that air pollution also has an impact on the climate crisis, Aykaç stated that the world is warming and this will harm all living things.
“HIGHER RISK OF COVID-19”
Explaining that the city of Wuhan in China, where the coronavirus was first seen, is one of the places where air pollution is seen seriously, Aykaç continued as follows:
“Afterwards, it was seen more frequently in Italy with commercial relations. The second country was Italy. The place where air pollution is highest there is Northern Italy. There are many studies on this in the world. These studies show that the risk of Covid-19 is higher in places with air pollution. “If you live in a place with air pollution, you get sick more. Because it can be carried by particles. Also, you have a more severe disease. Mortality rates are higher compared to other places.”
Aykaç added that it is necessary to live in small settlements and move away from vertical construction. (AA)