HAZE KILLS PART II

People are choking and dying from the Indonesian haze every year for over a decade now and still Governments are pussy footing around, year in and year out, giving excuses, blaming each other and passing the buck!!

What is in the haze were breathing - Pei Ling

June 26, 2013 I cant seem to find what air pollutants are in the haze and their health effects from our papers, so I did my own research. These pollutants are usually in the air and we do breath them in in negligible amount when the air is clear (API below 50). But their percentage are higher in the haze. (1) Particulate matter (PM/habuk halus): PM affects more people than any other pollutant. PM10 and below are worse. The major components of PM are sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, carbon, mineral dust and water.

Chronic exposure to particles contributes to the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as of lung cancer. (2) Sulfur dioxide (SO2): This is what gives the haze the acrid smell. It is produced from the burning of peat forests. SO2 can affect the respiratory system and the functions of the lungs, and causes irritation of the eyes. Inflammation of the respiratory tract causes coughing, mucus secretion, aggravation of asthma and chronic bronchitis and makes people more prone to infections of the respiratory tract. Hospital admissions for cardiac disease and mortality increase on days with higher SO2 levels. (3) Carbon monoxide (CO): A gas produced from incomplete combustion. This gas prevents the uptake of oxygen by the blood, which can lead to a significant reduction in the supply of oxygen to the heart, particularly in people suffering from heart diseases. (4) Nitrogen dioxide (NO2): A reddish-orange-brown gas with an irritating, acrid, characteristic pungent odor. In sunlight, nitrogen dioxide can lead to the formation of ozone, nitric acid and nitratecontaining particles. (5) Ozone (O3): Ozone at ground level not to be confused with the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is one of the major constituents of photochemical smog. Excessive ozone in the air can have a marked effect on human health. It can cause breathing problems, trigger asthma, reduce lung function and cause lung diseases. Other components present in the haze: Carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor from the burning.

If the API hits above 100 (unhealthy), those with stroke, heart or chronic lung disease should avoid all outdoor activities. Healthy individuals should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities. Above 200 (very unhealthy), the elderly, pregnant women and children should avoid going outdoors and keep windows closed. Wear a face mask if you have to venture out. Once the API crosses the threshold of 300, its hazardous, and even healthy individuals should avoid outdoor activities and wear an N95 mask when outdoors. But note that the use of N95 masks increases the effort in breathing and may cause discomfort. Children are not certified to use N95 masks. Latest API readings can be found at the Department Of Environments website or the Natural Resources and Environment Ministrys Facebook page. Finally, your body will be working doubly hard to eliminate the toxins youre breathing in so drink lots of water, get enough sleep (at least six hours) and nutritious food. - 26 June, 2013. Updated: Wednesday June 26, 2013 MYT 9:37:09 AM

Haze-induced illnesses
By Dr YLM

The haze is bad for everyone's health. I LIVE in Muar, Johor, where schools have been closed due to the haze and visibility is very poor. I dare not let my children go out at all. We have shut ourselves in the house and switched the air-conditioning on. I am worried for my old parents. Can we die from the haze? Yes, you can. But it has to be disease-related. But first of all, you have to understand what the haze is. The haze is an atmospheric condition where particles, smoke, dust and moisture suspend in the air. The more of these particles, smoke and dust there are, the less visible our environment will be. The haze is only one of the horizontal obscurations that we have in the world. The World Meterological Organization classifies horizontal obscuration into different categories: fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic ash, dust, sand and snow. A haze may be produced by open burning (what is occurring now), farming (if you plough the fields in dry weather), pollution from traffic (it seems that there is a permanent haze in Los Angeles, for example), and smoke from industry and wildfires (like what occured in Australia a few years ago). What kind of diseases can I get from the haze? You can get a spectrum of diseases involving your respiratory tract as you breathe in those particles, and your eyes, which is exposed to the environment. You can get: Conjunctivitis or inflammation of the eye. Nasal irritation, causing you to produce a lot of mucous and start clearing your throat excessively, or sneeze and cough. Throat irritation, leading to a sore throat, which in turn can produce mucous and clog up your pharynx area. Lung tissue inflammation and scarring. At high levels of the haze, you may start to cough and even feel breathless. At lower levels of pollution, people with a pre-existing lung or heart disorder may start to feel breathless and cough. So if your loved ones or friends have conditions such as asthma, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, you should make sure they stay indoors as much as possible and avoid the haze.

It is stated that if the API goes from 50 to 150, you can see a 12% increase in upper respiratory tract diseases, a 19% increase in asthma cases, and a 26% increase in nose inflammation. How would I know if the haze is affecting me? You may start to experience these symptoms. These are usually short-term. Look out for: Watery or irritated eyes. Actual reddening, itchiness and inflammation of the outer lining of your eyes (conjunctivitis). Runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing. Post-nasal drip (where the mucous from the back of your nose drips into your throat, causing irritability, soreness and cough, especially at night when you are trying to sleep). Sore, dry and irritable throat, which you have to keep clearing. Coughing. Headache and dizziness. Fatigue and the feeling of malaise. Mental irritability and the feeling of being stressed out. Difficulty breathing, especially on exertion, because your lung function has decreased. Bronchitis and lung infections.Most of these symptoms are usually mild. They will get better if you stay indoors and do not expose yourself to the haze. My elderly father has chronic bronchitis. Will the haze affect him more than me? Yes. You have to be very careful with your loved ones or friends suffering from lung and heart diseases, including asthma (especially for children). If you have asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) like chronic bronchitis or emphysema, obstructive sleep apnoea and heart diseases like coronary artery disease or heart failure, be very careful. You may have acute exacerbations of your existing conditions. For example, if you have asthma, the haze can actually induce an acute attack, which you may have to manage by rushing yourself to the emergency department of the hospital.

Will the haze have any long-term effects, like lung cancer? Particles emitted by forest fires can be toxic to the lungs. They can penetrate deep into the lungs and get absorbed by the blood stream. Studies have shown that people exposed to the haze (fine particles) frequently experience a faster thickening of their arteries, and this reduces life expectancy by a few years. Long-term exposure to particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller can increase your risk of developing diabetes. For pregnant mothers, be extra careful, because this is associated with spontaneous abortion, birth defects and high infant death rates. It is not known at this stage if the risk of lung cancer is higher. Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers and entertainment. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

Woman believed to be first haze casualty

Posted on 25 June 2013 - 09:07pm Last updated on 26 June 2013 - 11:20am Print

Li, seen here with her two grandchildren, has been reported to be the first person who died as a result of medical complications from the haze.

MUAR (June 25, 2013): A housewife is believed to have died of haze inhalation on Monday, making her the first possible victim of the smog covering much of Peninsular Malaysia. Li Cai Ling, 51, a diabetic, was found unconscious following an asthma attack believed to have been brought on by the haze. According to a report in China Press today, an initial medical report said Li had a stroke and was brain-dead due to complications arising from a lung infection and pulmonary edema (an accumulation of fluid in the lung) as a result of inhaling too much of polluted air. The Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Muar shot up to 746 on Sunday morning, the highest in record in the peninsular.

Family members found Li unconscious at their Muar home in Jalan Salleh at 14.40am on Sunday. She was rushed to the Muar Hospital where she remained unconscious until she died at 4.30am on Monday. Her relatives told the daily that they would have to wait for the post-mortem to ascertain if the haze had indeed triggered the asthma attack. Li's daughter, Zhang Lee Yee, 25, said her mother, who was taking care of her two daughters, aged four years and four months, had complained of shortness of breath, diarrhoea, dizziness and numbness of the limbs a week ago. She said she had advised her mother to seek treatment but the latter had refused. Johor health director Mohd Khairi Yakob on Monday denied that Li's was a haze-related death. No patient has died in Johor of the haze, he said when contacted by China Press. Mohd Khairi said he had contacted the hospital which said that none of its patients had died because of the haze. "But because some family members have complained that their relative died because of the haze, the (health) department will investigate further. We hope the family would contact the relevant authorities," he said.