Air quality poor in many centres in Helsinki where children and elderly are cared for

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Many elderly people suffer from polluted air at the Kinapori Service Centre and residential institution in Alppiharju in Helsinki. The centre is located near a number of busy streets.
      Eija Mustonen, the acting director of Kinapori, say that polluted air has been recognised as a problem there. Indoor air filters do not work well enough, and old people suffering from pulmonary conditions find it difficult to go out of doors.
     The children's day care centre Maria is located on the busy street of Lönnrotinkatu. The indoor air at Maria was last checked this year, and was deemed to be of acceptable quality. The children play in the courtyard of the building, out of reach of at least the worst of the street dust.
     
Helsinki's Environment Centre has pinpointed 13 "sensitive locations", where children and old people are susceptible to impurities in the air.
     The hot spots include day care centres, playgrounds, primary schools, and homes for the elderly, which are located no more than one city block away from a street where the maximum levels set for nitrogen oxides and airborne particles are regularly exceeded.
     About 19,000 Helsinki residents live on streets with poor air quality. Of this number, about 500 are under school age and 2,500 are over the age of 64.
     
The National Public Health Institute has studied the connection between impurities in urban air and the health of residents. The greatest problems arise from small particles from traffic.
     Dr. Raimo O. Salonen of the National Public Health Institute says that children and those with respiratory or cardiac problems who live or spend time in such areas should be protected from street dust and exhaust particles.
     "Filters installed in ventilation equipment can be of great help", Salonen says. However, this is not always possible in older buildings, where the incoming air sometimes comes straight from the busy street.
     Salonen recommends that children's outdoor recreation should take place as far away from busy thoroughfares as possible, and that pedestrians should favour quieter streets.
     Those with respiratory or cardiac ailments should avoid visits to the centre when the air quality is poor, and patients should keep their medicines available at all times in case of an attack.
     
Updated information on air quality in the Helsinki region is available on the website of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV).
     Salonen says that the best way to prevent illnesses related to air pollution would be a reduction of the number of cars driving in the centre of Helsinki.
     A draft for an air quality programme has been drawn up for Helsinki, which also assesses the effect that various measures would have on health.
     According to the paper, a 30 per cent reduction of cars in a wide street would reduce nitrogen oxide and particle emissions by one fifth and carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter.
     Salonen believes that such measures would significantly reduce exposure to particles. The measures would also reduce respiratory and cardiac symptoms, as well as hospitalisations. Premature deaths would also decline.
     Exposure to street dust would also decline, leading to improved health for those with respiratory problems.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki´s air quality remains poor for nine straight days (4.5.2006)
  Air pollution content in Greater Helsinki Area now exceptionally high (28.4.2006)
  Street dust may weaken air quality in Helsinki noticeably (14.3.2006)
  Airborne dust season begins early in Helsinki area (16.3.2007)

Links:
  Helsinki Metropolitan Area (YTV): Air quality

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