WITH the recent fire at the Riverton City dump, many in the Corporate Area remain concerned over the quality of their air.

Against that background, Career & Education shares with you this week tips on how to limit the ill effects of poor air quality in the event of another fire and how to improve your air quality going forward.

Minimising the ill effects of poor air quality

* Keep children indoors during episodes of higher than usual smog levels. Children have a higher ventilation rate (number of breaths per minute) and will inhale more pollutants.

* Avoid strenuous exercise during high smog episodes. Exercise increases the depth and rate of ventilation, thus causing more pollutants to be inhaled.

* Avoid or reduce exercise near areas of heavy traffic, especially during rush hour.

* Breathe through your nostrils and not your mouth as the nostrils have natural filters to remove larger particles. Children tend to breathe through their mouths; parents should alert them during these episodes to breathe through their nostrils.

* Boost your ability to fight infections by taking vitamin supplements or eating fruits.

* See your doctor if you have cardiac/heart problems or suffer from emphysema or other lung disease.

* If you or your family members have a history of asthma or respiratory illness, and you live close to areas with poor air quality, invest in a respirator (an apparatus worn over the mouth and nose to prevent inhalation of dust or noxious fumes – not the simple dust masks).

* If at all possible, temporarily relocate to a safer environment when there is an extreme event.

* Indoor air can become quite polluted if contaminated with air from outdoors; keep windows closed during pollution events to prevent harmful buildup indoors, BUT remember to open your windows to release the contaminants from inside as soon as it’s safe.

* Invest in a charcoal filter if you use an air conditioner

Improve your air quality

* Commit to no open burning as stipulated by the National Environment and Planning Agency.

* Carpool wherever possible to reduce automobile exhaust.

* Recycle your plastics so that less enters the ‘landfill’ and segregate potentially flammable items, such as, aerosol cans, batteries, etc.

* Keep automobiles well-tuned for efficient fuel use. This will save petrol consumption as well as help the air quality.

* Reduce energy usage in the home and office; this will result in lower electricity demand and ultimately less air emissions.

Tips brought to you by Sharonmae Shirley and environmental chemist and director of environmental services at Environmental Solutions Limited. She can be contacted via e-mail at sshirley@eslcaribbean.com.