How Can You Reduce Your Exposure To Particulate Matter?

Air pollution is a global public health issue where many areas across the world are seeing concentrations of ambient air pollution exceeding the maximum levels. While effective policies have been established, there is a lot more we can do to reduce both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Those with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions are more prone to the adverse effects of air pollution but it’s an issue that affects everyone. Aside from the standard measures to minimise personal exposure to particulate matter, such as staying indoors, preventing outdoor air from entering the building, and reducing the number of materials burned, air filters provide a measurable reduction in indoor air pollution. WHAT IS PARTICULATE MATTER? Particulate matter, often abbreviated as ‘PM’, is a term for solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Particles vary in size and some may be large enough to be visible, such as dirt, smoke, and dust. Some particles may be so small that they can only be seen through an electron microscope. There are two main types of particulate matter: PM 10 – These are particles with diameters of 10 micrometres and smaller and can be inhaled. PM 2.5 – These are smaller particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometres and smaller. PM 2.5 particles can also be inhaled and can often be more harmful as they can get deep into your lungs. PM 2.5 and PM 10 can come from a variety of sources and can be made up of several different chemicals. Whilst particulate matter can form in the atmosphere from reactions of different chemicals, it can also be formed from sources such as fires, smokestacks, construction sites, and more. WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF PM 2.5 AND PM10? Particulate matter contains very small particles of solids and liquids that can cause several health complications if exposed in sufficient quantities. PM 2.5 in particular can be very dangerous for health as they are so small, they can get into your lungs and some of the smaller particles can even get into your bloodstream. With continuous exposure to these particles, it can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular health complications. The finer particulate matter is also responsible for causing haze in heavily polluted areas across the world. ARE PARTICULATE MATTER EMISSIONS REGULATED? Air pollution is a major problem that affects countries across the globe. In Europe, the European Union had established the Cleaner Air For Europe Directive (CAFÉ Directive). This directive aims to establish a long-term strategy to combat air pollution and protect the population from the effects on human health and the surrounding environment. As part of the directive, the EU are enforcing limit values and thresholds for specific air pollutants which must not be exceeded within buildings. In commercial, residential, industrial, and educational buildings, indoor air pollution must be monitored and regulated in order to comply with legislation. This can be done by installing an air filtration system with high-performance filters that can remove pollutants from the indoor air. You can learn more about the CAFÉ directive here. HOW BUSINESSES CAN REDUCE PM 2.5 IN INDOOR AIR As mentioned above, buildings in all sectors must comply with the legislation to ensure that indoor air pollution is minimised and health is protected. In order to meet the requirements and prevent exceeding the threshold for each pollutant, developers, planners, and mechanical consultants must have measures in place. Air filtration systems provide a solution to reducing indoor air pollution as they can deliver long-term NOx mitigation and they can also remove particulate matter from the indoor air. At AAC Eurovent, we offer a comprehensive range of high-performance carbon filters that are designed to deliver measurable nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide removal from the ambient air quality. Our carbon filter systems come with a G3 particulate filter as standard and it can also be upgraded to remove particular matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) from the air. For hotel and student accommodation projects where space is limited, we also offer low-profile AAC NITROSORB filter systems which have been independently MCERTS tested and are suitable for new build or retrofit schemes. Whether you have a commercial, educational, industrial, or residential building, we can provide a bespoke solution that takes care of your indoor air pollution reduction needs.