For World Health Day, celebrated on April 7 under the critical theme, "My Health, My Right," attention is being drawn to South Africa's growing air pollution crisis, which starkly highlights the clash between environmental degradation and human health rights.
The World Health Organisation reports a harrowing statistic: every five seconds, a life is lost due to indoor and outdoor air pollution, with the relentless burning of fossil fuels exacerbating the climate crisis and stripping people of their right to clean air.
In South Africa, the situation is particularly alarming. Air quality analyses show that particulate matter levels consistently exceed global health standards, contributing to a grim toll of over 20 000 premature deaths annually.
The youngest and most vulnerable members of the population bear a disproportionate burden of this environmental catastrophe.
Trevor Brewer, the director of Solenco, a local air treatment firm, underscores the perilous condition of children in areas choked by pollution.
Brewer explains, "South African children in pollution-heavy regions are facing a heightened risk of respiratory problems and a host of other health complications owing to the deteriorating air quality.”
He points to a concoction of pollutants—including smoke from domestic fires, car emissions, and agricultural dust—as the culprits behind the thick air that blankets many parts of the country.
Furthermore, Brewer points out the often-overlooked impact of air pollution on prenatal and newborn health, with exposure linked to inhibited foetal growth and enduring adverse health outcomes.
He lambasts South Africa's current approach to tackling this issue, indicating a glaring oversight in the inclusion of the most affected communities in the formulation of climate policies and actions.
"Despite the glaring evidence, South Africa's most vulnerable populations remain sidelined in the conversation on climate action and policy-making," he states, highlighting a pressing need for a dual strategy that fosters resilience against climate change effects while curbing the nation's reliance on fossil fuels.
Brewer has issued a stark warning about the dangers of air pollution, saying it's responsible for serious health issues like asthma, heart and lung diseases, and even cancer.
"It's time for government agencies, businesses, and schools to take stronger action," Brewer notes.
The startling fact is that 86% of South Africa's energy comes from burning coal, a major source of harmful air particles. The regions supplying most of Eskom's coal are also some of the worst in the world for emitting dangerous sulphur dioxide.
Pollution doesn't stop there; it also comes from factories, trash disposal, cars and trucks, burning of waste, dumps, sewage treatment and farms.
Brewer also warns that these harmful substances don't just stay outside — they can make their way into our homes. Inside, dangerous materials like asbestos, the burning of wood or paraffin, pesticides, and household cleaners can pollute the air.
Moisture from poor ventilation, leaks, or living near the sea can cause mould to grow, leading to more health problems.
"South Africans are stepping up to improve the air they breathe," says Brewer, pointing out a big jump in people buying high-quality air cleaners.
“This trend, especially hot in places with lots of factories, marks a shift from the past when most hospitals bought these machines.
“The Covid-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for many.”
People started to understand that air isn't just about how hot or cold it is.
“Awareness is key to driving change. For anyone experiencing allergic, asthmatic, or respiratory distress, whether in an urban or rural area, air pollution as an aggravator should not be ruled out,” says Brewer.
“In fact, a healthy nine-year-old girl living 25 metres from one of the busiest roads in London made legal history as the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed on their death certificate back in 2013 – this is according to her mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debra, during a 2021 Ted Talk on the Tragedy of Air Pollution.”
He adds that if you suspect you’re living in a heavily polluted area, be sure to invest in an air purifier with a multi-filtration system, including a H-13 HEPA (otherwise known as medical grade) filter, which is capable of trapping particles like dust, pollen and mould spores as small as 0.1 microns, and activated carbon/charcoal filters, to remove contaminants and gaseous pollution from the air.