Authorities struggle to find solutions for the BKK smog
PHOTO: The Nation
“Normal cheap face masks are useless to protect people from air pollution.”
Bangkok is suffering some severe air pollution as authorities struggle to find a way to reduce the dangerous levels of particulate matter floating around the city. A lack of wind is allowing the pollution, mostly from vehicle emissions and local industry, to hang around the streets and not be blown away.
The Bangkok Post is reporting that the hazardous ultra-fine dust that has been sweeping through 20 districts of Bangkok is predicted to last for a few days, warns the BMA.
The warning corresponds with dust levels measured by the Pollution Control Department (PCD) which started issuing alerts on Thursday.
With a size of up to 2.5 microns, the airborne particulate matter (PM) can easily lodge in in the lungs. Normal cheap pharmacy face masks do not work effectively, as the particles are smaller than the width of a single human hair. To be of any value, a face mask would need to be a KN95 level mask.
Read more about the air pollution problems in Bangkok HERE.
