Air quality in Takhli

Why is the air so polluted in Takhli?

Higher levels of air pollution present in Takhli manifest in the same ways seen in many other cities and provinces throughout Thailand, and indeed neighboring countries, which all share similar issues. With rapid development occurring, an increase in population size as well as vehicle ownership is not only normal but expected to keep on increasing. As such, Takhli can have large amounts of pollution accumulating from several sources. Ambient, year-round levels of air pollution are caused by the mass movement and transit of large amounts of people, with commutes to and from work every day in vehicles leading to huge amounts of exhaust fumes being given off. This can be compounded by the issue of many older and poorer quality vehicles still inhabiting the roads of Takhli, more common in rural areas although they are still a fairly common sight within more heavily developed areas. Due to the combustion process taking place within the vehicles (with combustion itself being one of the largest contributors to air pollution as a whole, in the variety of its different forms whether in a forest fire, car engine, or factory boiler), many tons of hazardous particles and chemical compounds are given out, accumulating within areas that see less wind, such as in between tall buildings, and as such these accumulations can rise to some significant levels, causing all manner of environmental and health issues to occur. Regarding vehicles, the many cars, motorbikes and other smaller personal motors in use on the roads all contribute to heightened pollution levels, particularly if fossil fuel such as diesel is still utilized.

This is a far more common occurrence in larger, industrial or heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks, lorries and even buses, which predominantly run on diesel fuel despite efforts to curb this from happening (something that will take many years to fully implement). Furthermore, on the vehicle issue, many tons of microscopic rubber particles can enter the environment (the air, land and bodies of water, making it one of many serious environmental and health-related issues) via the continuous wear and tear of tire treads, with many tons of this material being given off over the years. If roads in certain areas (once again more prevalent in rural locations) are not properly maintained or repaired after damage is incurred from rain or age, considerable amounts of dust and other microscopic particles can be blown up into the air, adding even further to the PM2.5 and PM10 count within Takhli. On a closing note, due to its location in the northern regions of Thailand within Nakhon Sawan, Takhli is far more likely to come under heavy clouds of smoke and haze that arise from open burn sites, where vast areas of forest or farmland are set ablaze, which can cause many months of the year to have massive spikes in their US AQI and PM2.5 readings. All these forms of combustion can leak a huge variety of chemical compounds and hazardous particles, which will be mentioned in further detail in one of the following questions.

When is the air most likely to be at its most polluted in Takhli?

The air pollution levels in Takhli are most likely to be at their highest (with potential differences to this always being possible due to other factors such as meteorological conditions as well as the occurrence of natural disasters or industrial incidents taking place) at the beginning of the year as well as at the end of the year, with the cleanest air quality typically being observed in the middle months of the year. This correlates closely with the burning season, whereby vast swathes of forest and farmland throughout Thailand (most prominent in the northern regions but not limited to there) are set ablaze. This typically starts around late August and September and can continue through April of the next year. This is a decent guideline that can be observed each year across many cities and provinces in Thailand, but always subject to change, with pollution levels sometimes ceasing earlier, or going on for sustained periods within Takhli.

What health problems can occur from breathing polluted air in Takhli?

Health issues and illnesses that can occur when air pollution rise to dangerous levels (with even low levels of air pollution being able to cause dangerous and adverse health effects, an important point to note that) in Takhli include coughs, chest pain and resulting infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract, which can turn into more serious health issues if they continue for long periods, resulting in damage and scarring to the lung tissue itself, which can also lead to further respiratory issues, reduced lung capacity as well as a decrease in quality of life, and life expectancy. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also present itself, with bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and emphysema being the main illnesses. Skin problems may also occur, along with increased early death rates that can in many cases be directly linked to air pollution exposure.

Due to the extremely small size of PM2.5 and the myriad of extremely dangerous materials, it is comprised of, its ability to make its way past the blood barrier in the lungs and into the circulatory system means that it can affect many different parts of the body, causing cancer rates to rise significantly, primarily affecting the lungs but also many other organ systems, as well as causing adverse effects to the nervous system, particularly amongst younger inhabitants in Takhli.

Which people are most likely to become ill from pollution exposure in Takhli?

People that are most likely to be adversely affected by air pollution exposure in Takhli include the elderly, along with young children, pregnant mothers, as well as those that have pre-existing health conditions or compromised immune systems. Extra care should be taken by these groups to ensure that more chronic or acute conditions are avoided, especially during the months that carry the highest levels of smoke, haze and smog.

What are some pollutants that can be found in the air throughout Takhli?

Some of the main air pollutants found in Takhli would be those that make up the US AQI figure, which are the two main forms of particle pollution, PM10 and PM2.5, along with nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, or smog as it is more commonly referred to when it accumulates in large enough quantities, often being quite visible in certain areas, particularly over roads that see a large amount of traffic, and can be commonly witnessed in heavily populated cities such as Bangkok, often during the hottest months of the year. Another pollutant included within the US AQI aggregate is carbon monoxide. Other pollutants include black carbon and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with some examples of VOCs including benzene, styrene, methylene chloride as well as formaldehyde.