Air quality in Thalang

Is the air polluted in Thalang?

Thalang has a relatively decent level of air quality when compared to many cities and towns throughout Thailand. This is largely due to it being located in Phuket, where weather conditions and lack of human-based and industrial activity, as well as the ever-present slash and burn or open burning farming methods are not as prevalent, although they still exist to a lesser degree. Strong coastal winds can aid in removing large amounts of hazardous particulate matter and chemical pollutants from the air. Despite these natural aids, there are still many months of the year in which the air pollution level can go up by a moderate amount, causing potential risks to the health of Thalang’s citizens as well as causing damage to the environment and various ecosystems. Looking at some pollution readings taken in the latter part of October 2021, a US AQI reading of just 8 was picked up, placing Thalang into the 'good' air quality rating bracket for the day and time in which the reading was taken. This shows that the air quality at this time was exceptionally good, being on the lower end of the most respectable rating bracket (with this 'good' air quality rating requiring a US AQI reading of 0 to 50 to be classed as such, with 0 indicating a near-complete absence of any harmful chemicals, pollutants and particulate matter in the air. The PM2.5 reading at this time was also found to be extremely low, coming in at just 2 μg/m³. When the air reaches this level of cleanliness, doors and windows can be left open to allow fresh air to circulate, which can reduce indoor pollution buildup, and outdoor activity can be conducted without having to worry about any adverse effects.

Why is Thalang subject to air pollution?

Despite not being in the region most notorious for open burning practices, with these taking place in the northern regions of Thailand, as well as spread sporadically throughout the country in many provincial areas, the pattern of air pollution from years past shows that Thalang is also subject to the same rise and fall in PM2.5 levels according to the burning season, which typically starts towards the end of the year, and continues to cause the pollution levels to stay elevated until the earlier months of the following year. Besides this prominent cause of polluted air, Thalang also has the other sources that are responsible for elevated PM2.5 and US AQI readings throughout Thailand. US AQI is a number aggregated from the several main pollutants found in the air, which includes ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, as well as the two forms of particle pollution, PM10 (the less dangerous of the two) and PM2.5, the most dangerous form of pollution due to its minute size of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter giving it the ability to penetrate deep into the lung tissue, bypassing the bodies defense systems and causing a number of health issues, which will be discussed in short. Other sources include emissions and fumes from cars, motorbikes and heavy-duty trucks and lorries, as well as power plants and factories, or any businesses that burn through fossil fuel such as diesel, natural gas or oil being responsible for raised pollution levels.

What are some health problems that come from pollution exposure in Thalang?

Gradual and long-term exposure to elevated amounts of polluted air in Thalang can cause many individuals to be subject to extremely negative health effects and other serious conditions, particularly prominent to those individuals who fall under the sensitive group's bracket. Of note though, is that even healthy adults may fall ill or sustain damage when air pollution exposure is excessive, or exposure takes place over many years, with this phenomenon being particularly salient for those who live in closer proximity to highly polluted areas, which include industrial districts or near busy roads and highways, where the air quality will be poor for a majority of the year. Some conditions that may appear due to this exposure would be short-term ones such as dry coughs, as well as chest pains and subsequent infections of the respiratory tract and lungs. These typically resolve themselves fairly quickly when exposure to air pollution is halted. They may also progress into more long-term or chronic issues, with continuous bouts of chest infections and coughing leading to scarring of lung tissue, which can result in permanently decreased lung capacity and function.

Furthermore, the continued scarring or damage and inflammation of the lung tissue can make those affected far more vulnerable to a plethora of other respiratory illnesses, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presenting itself. COPD is an umbrella term that encompasses a plethora of lung and respiratory tract ailments, usually resulting in shortness of breath and other unwanted or adverse symptoms. Breathing in polluted air when an individual already suffers from pre-existing conditions can cause them to worsen, and thus progress into potentially more life-threatening forms of said illness. Some of the conditions that can be classified under the COPD bracket are aggravated forms of asthma, as well as emphysema, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Other forms of damage that can happen within the body include increased risk of cancer, heart attacks, strokes and arrhythmias, as well as ischemic heart disease and many other cardiac or pulmonary conditions that can bring about decreased quality of life as well as lower an individual’s life expectancy in Thalang.

When is the air at its most heavily polluted in Thalang?

With the data from 2020 on hand as a good indicator of year-round pollution readings, it can be seen that January through to April, as well as November and December, were the most polluted out of the entire year, with all of them meeting the 'moderate' pollution rating criteria (12.1 to 35.4 μg/m³ required). Out of all of these, January and February had the highest readings at 23.5 μg/m³ and 20.5 μg/m³, similar to many other areas in Thailand, although far less harsh in the degree to which they were elevated (with some cities coming in with PM2.5 readings sometimes double or even triple of these figures).

When is the air quality cleaner in Thalang?

The months that had the most optimal and clean PM2.5 readings were September and October, both of which fell within the World Health Organization's (WHO's) target goal of 10 μg/m³ or less for the best air quality, with respective readings of 9.5 μg/m³ and 9 μg/m³.