Essay on Present a Conceptual Plan for Managing the Global Pollution Issue of Air Pollution, With Specific Discussion on Policies and Mitigative Measures To Be Undertaken

In selecting the appropriate air pollution control system for a particular pollutant, it is important for an environmental consultant to assess the degree of efficacy of the relevant air pollution control system against the air pollutant in question, and weigh that against key environmental, engineering and economic factors. Foremost, the environmental consultant should assess the abrasiveness, reactivity and toxicity of the pollutant, and whether there are sufficient utilities (ie. water for operation of wet scrubbers). For example, incinerators may not work on carbon monoxide or nitrous oxide, which require HEPA filters and scrubbers. Secondly, environmental consultants should consider the capital and operating costs of the pollution control system used. For example, condensers, absorbers and mechanical collectors tend to be more cost effective than electrostatic precipitators. Finally, the consultant should consider environmental factors such as ancillary pollution from the control system and relevant air quality and metereological conditions which may impact the smooth functioning of the system.

As an IAQ manager responsible for the conduct of IAQ investigations, I would use the results of a thorough empirical investigation, alongside the initial test results of the presence of one or more tests for key pollutants such as radon, carbon monoxide and bacterial contaminants. Foremost, I would collect additional details on the building occupants, HVAC system, and potential pathways and sources for pollutants. I would also send a team down to test and evaluate sample contaminants. If initial contaminants were to be found and verified by independent teams, I would then classify the complaint as warranting a full investigation. I would also take into account the health impacts on the building residents and nearby areas, and keep a clear incident log while reviewing existing records of complaints for context.

An environmental impact assessment consisting of an IAQ, NAAQS pollutant assessment, and lifecycle assessment which is coming up at my manufacturing facility would leverage a variety of skills and knowledge acquired through this course, in a real-life scenario. My manufacturing facility needs to prepare an indoor air quality, NAAQS pollutant report and lifecycle assessment report as part of an upcoming corporate audit. The stages and procedures learned in this course for areas such as the IAQ, NAAQS and LCA would help me to assess the sources, impacts and transport and flow of these pollutants, and examine whether appropriate compliance has been exercised.

If an investigation were done, I would use an empirical strategy of hypothesis testing to evaluate the results of the control strategy undertaken. For example, I would evaluate whether ventilation or thorough disinfection would be more effective for the management of indoor airborne bacterial contaminants. I would also use pollutant detector devices and meters for regular monitoring to evaluate the control strategy results.

The following questions should also be thoroughly evaluated in an air pollution analysis. How would you prioritise and comprehensively cover all the HVAC zones and complaint areas with limited resources? Would you consider the need for outsourcing some parts of the investigation, and if so, how would you ensure adequate quality control? Furthermore, how would you ensure strong operational procedure compliance and record keeping to ensure that your decision on whether or not to make a formal investigation is well founded?

Other considerations are as follows. The air pollution manager may also want to include the other criteria below in setting a decision making process for using your judgement to determine when a formal investigation is initiated from a complaint, and to assess whether or not your mitigation efforts have been successful. Foremost, are there any conditions or activities occurring in or near the building that could be related in timing, location and health effects to the complaints?

When using risk assessment to set regulatory limits for air pollutants, it is imperative to concentrate on protecting the average person given the significant lifetime impacts of air pollution on an individual’s health, mental well-being and propensity to develop serious respiratory and cardiovascular disorders.

Furthermore, it is economically feasible to set sufficiently low limits to protect all individuals, provided that a proper cost benefit analysis incorporating the costs from air pollution health risks is taken into account in the economic cost-benefit analysis such that a low level is set. This would prevent the spread of air pollution from Superfund sites and the continued proliferation of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides, which present a clear and present danger to all individuals, not just the most vulnerable with risks and histories of cardiovascular or respiratory disease.

Finally, a whole-of-society approach would be more cost effective and efficient in protecting the whole population from the dangers created by air pollutants, rather than just a narrow focus on the most vulnerable populations. While they can be prioritised in the short-run, in the long-term, more resources, legislature and financing should be devoted to mitigating the air pollution impacting all, using proper cost benefit analysis incorporating the costs from air pollution health risks is taken into account in the economic cost-benefit analysis such that a low level is set.

References

Vallero, D. (2014). Fundamentals of air pollution. Academic press.

Boubel, R. W., Vallero, D., Fox, D. L., Turner, B., & Stern, A. C. (2013). Fundamentals of air pollution. Elsevier.

Dutheil, F., Baker, J. S., & Navel, V. (2020). COVID-19 as a factor influencing air pollution?. Environmental pollution, 263, 114466.

Venter, Z. S., Aunan, K., Chowdhury, S., & Lelieveld, J. (2020). COVID-19 lockdowns cause global air pollution declines. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(32), 18984-18990.

Turner, M. C., Andersen, Z. J., Baccarelli, A., Diver, W. R., Gapstur, S. M., Pope III, C. A., & Cohen, A. (2020). Outdoor air pollution and cancer: An overview of the current evidence and public health recommendations. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 70(6), 460-479.

Zhang, X., Chen, X., & Zhang, X. (2018). The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(37), 9193-9197.