With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1137: Round Table - Expert Group on Environment Zoom Meeting on “Indoor Air Pollution - Part II”

1^st November, 2020, 12 noon-1pm

Participants: Dr KK Aggarwal, Padma Shri Awardee and President, Heart Care Foundation of India. Prof Meenakshi Dhote, Dept. of Environmental Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi. Dr SK Gupta, Director, Envirotech Instrument, Delhi. Dr Dipankar Saha, Ex- I/C Air Pollution Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board. Dr RS Tyagi, Ex- Member (Drainage), Delhi Jal Board. Dr KK Kalra, Director HCFI, Ex CEO NABH. Ms Ira Gupta, Advocate. Dr S Sharma, Editor IJCP Group

Key points from the discussion

The meeting was chaired by Dr BC Sabat.

• Pollution, both indoor and outdoor, is a problem. Indoor air quality also affects health. Particulate matter will go to any organ in the body – CNS, circulatory system, reproductive system.
• Air pollution is adding to the problem of COVID-19. We have to fight a dual battle. Both aggravate the inflammatory process in the body.
• The impact of pollution will be different depending on the source, whether vehicular exhaust, air conditioned room, fuel used for cooking, etc. Impact cannot be correlated unless we have our data and diagnosis linking pollution to deaths. Western data cannot be adapted to our circumstances.
• Any discussion about pollution should be national. All discussion about pollution is mostly urban-centric. Pollution in rural areas also needs consideration.
• Indoor air is air in any confined area or space, where there is no free flow of air. To purify indoor air, increase ventilation. Adequacy of ventilation is measured via CO2 monitoring.
• We have to know how much ventilation is required. ASHRAE talks about 12% area. What is the human occupancy and what is the respiratory rate. About 8-10 liter per minute is our air requirement.
• For maintenance of healthy air, a combination of two systems should be used (HEPA + Carbon filter).
• Maintenance of air duct is the biggest problem. It is breeding ground for bacteria, algae, fungi, etc., due to humidity and constant temperature.
• We need a system which not only controls temperature, but also simultaneously takes care of disinfection. UV germicidal irradiation (fixed/portable) is an emerging area and is a field of research identified by the WHO and the CDC.
• UV filters can be put in air duct in air handling units (AHUs) – upper air disinfection, indirect surface disinfection, portable room disinfectant. More data is needed.
• Indoor air quality is basically dependent on building design. The wind and solar direction are constant.
• A garage is not suitable for a clinic as it is accessible from the road; hence, there will be vehicle impact. The height is low; there is no ventilation. The forced air inside the room accumulates as pockets inside the chamber. Setting up a clinic on the first floor is preferred. There are windows/doors allowing cross ventilation; one exit and one entry can be planned. There should be entry of 30% fresh air. The air purifier does not take in fresh air; it is the air inside the room which passes through the filter. It cleans the air inside the room. Indoor plants can be kept. PM1 and PM2.5 can be controlled, but CO2 will build up as no fresh air enters the room.
• Split air conditioners circulate the inside air compared to AHUs and window ACs.
• Filter and exhaust should be working efficiently if there is no clean and fresh air.
• Poor planning and location of industries has reduced ambient air quality. Our lifestyle has affected indoor air quality.
• If we control the source of pollution, this will improve outdoor air quality.
• Buildings have been made into closed spaces due to wrong orientation and wrong designing.
• Focus on two things for better quality of life: Indoor air and better ventilation.
• No compromise on environment; identify environment-friendly spaces to open clinics, which permit cross ventilation; this will reduce cross infection. In addition, the clinic should have high roof, good exhaust fans, two doors, well-lit, good ventilation.

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA