3,500 Sri Lankans die a year due to indoor air pollution

Dec 08, 2016

Around 3,500 deaths occur in Sri Lanka every year due to indoor air pollution, says Prof. O.A. Illeperuma of the Department of Chemistry at the Peradeniya University. Studies into air pollution indicate that emissions from factories and vehicles, as well as due to domestic activities are very harmful to health, he said.

According to WHO statistics, air pollution kills an estimated eight million people a year, and half of them are due to indoor air pollution, said Prof. Illeperuma at a media briefing at the university’s Postgraduate Institute.

He said, “No proper research takes place in Sri Lanka into air pollution. No adequate attention is paid to the matter. It has been clearly identified that diesel emissions from vehicles cause cancer. Certain emissions cannot enter the body, but there is a good possibility of minuscule particles getting deposited in the lungs. Particles smaller than 10 microns easily enter the lungs. There is a very high level of indoor air pollution due to the use of firewood, mosquito coils, joss-sticks etc. It has been identified that firewood emits 370 varieties of particles to the atmosphere. Emissions from the domestically used gases too, are harmful to human body. Therefore, cooking should be done in a well-ventilated place,” he said.

Director of the university’s Postgraduate Institute Prof. H.M.D. Namal Priyantha said there was a clear difference between the levels of acidity in the rainwater in Colombo and Kandy. This is due to the high density of factories in Colombo town and that adversely affects drinking water supply and irrigations for agricultural activities, he said.

Head of the Department of Chemistry Prof. Ayanthi Nawaratne also spoke.