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How everyday life affects air quality in your home

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In 2014, the World Health Organisation released new data that attributes one in eight of total global deaths to air pollution exposure, according to NUI Galway researcher Dr Miriam Byrne.

In particular, the data revealed a stronger link between both indoor and outdoor air pollution and cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer.

These findings are in addition to air pollution’s role in the development of respiratory diseases, acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

“While most of these deaths occur in developing countries where air pollution levels from vehicle and industrial sources are very high (cooking on open fires is also a major air pollution source in these countries), these data highlight that air pollution is the world’s largest single environmental health risk,” said Dr Byrne who lectures in the Physics Department in NUI Galway and is engaged in interdisciplinary research on indoor air pollution.

“Buildings are leaky structures as far as air pollution is concerned, so while one is indoors (and populations in developed countries spend a lot of time indoors – up to 90% of their time), it is important to realise that one is exposed to outdoor air pollution from traffic and industry sources that has leaked in, as well as to air pollution generated indoors from cooking, smoking, pets, plants, etc.,” she said.

The 2014 data released by WHO is based on more knowledge about the diseases caused by air pollution, as well as better assessment of human exposure to air pollutants through the use of improved measurements and technology, which has enabled scientists to make a more detailed analysis of the risks from a wider demographic spread.

A total of 3.3 million deaths were linked to indoor air pollution in 2012, and 2.6 million were linked to outdoor air pollution.

According to the data, 34% of those who died of indoor air pollution died of a stroke; 26% suffered from ischaemic heart disease; 22% died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); 12% from acute lower respiratory infections; and 6% died of lung cancer.

The key to improving the quality of the air in our homes, according to Dr Byrne, is “making sure that there is adequate fresh air; so windows and vents should be opened where possible – and when it is sensible to do so. If you live on a busy street, it is not a good idea to open your window at the height of rush hour!”

WHO recommendations, released in November, also highlight the dangers of burning fuels like unprocessed coal and kerosene in the home, and set targets for reducing emissions of health-damaging pollutants from domestic stoves, heaters and fuel-based lamps.

“Extractor fans should be used when cooking and showering. Drying of clothes indoors should be avoided (not easy in Galway!) as this can lead to mould growth on walls,” Dr Byrne advised.

Dr Byrne’s extensive research into air pollution began with a strong interest in environmental physics during her undergraduate degree. She followed her undergrad with a Masters degree at NUI Galway, where her skills in laboratory-based aerosol studies were honed, before carrying out a PhD study at Imperial College in London.

Her PhD study aimed to discover “how radioactive particles from a nuclear accident such as Chernobyl might affect householders as these particles could leak into homes,” she explained, saying this was how she first began studying indoor air pollution.

This has led to many interesting research studies for Dr Byrne such as: investigating indoor air quality before and after energy retrofitting a house; examining the influence of pets on dust mite numbers in the home; and modelling the movement of air pollution between different rooms in the house by studying the effect an adult smoking in the living room can have on a child sleeping in an upstairs bedroom.

In fact, Dr Byrne’s current area of research involves measuring indoor air quality in retrofitted, energy-efficient homes. Her latest study involves 60 Irish homes and how human behaviour affects indoor pollution levels, and is being conducted with the help of numerous other researchers who Dr Byrne acknowledges.

“I would like to acknowledge many colleagues, especially Professor Gerry Jennings, NUI Galway, and the late Professor Tony Goddard, Imperial College, who trained me in air pollution science, and co-workers Dr Maurice Mulcahy, Dr Ann McDonagh, Dr James McGrath, Dr Marie Coggins, Aine Broderick and David Clarke, who have contributed greatly to research successes in recent years,” she says.

More about Dr Byrne’s research into indoor air pollution can be found on the Ryan Institute for Environmental, Marine and Energy Research new podcast channel which can be found on iTunes.

Connacht Tribune

West has lower cancer survival rates than rest

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Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.

A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.

For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.

These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.

“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.

In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.

Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.

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Connacht Tribune

Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races

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Loughrea’s Marathon Man Jarlath Fitzgerald.

On the eve of completing his 150th marathon, an odyssey that has taken him across 53 countries, Loughrea’s Marathon Man has announced that he is planning to hang up his running shoes.

But not before Jarlath Fitzgerald completes another ten races, making it 160 marathons on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

“I want to draw the line in 2026. I turn 57 in October and when I reach 60 it’s the finishing line. The longer races are taking it out of me. I did 20 miles there two weeks ago and didn’t feel good. It’s getting harder,” he reveals.

“I’ve arthritis in both hips and there’s wear and tear in the knees.”

We speak as he is about to head out for a run before his shift in Supervalu Loughrea. Despite his physical complaints, he still clocks up 30 miles every second week and generally runs four days a week.

Jarlath receives injections to his left hip to keep the pain at bay while running on the road.

To give his joints a break, during the winter he runs cross country and often does a five-mile trek around Kylebrack Wood.

He is planning on running his 150th marathon in Cork on June 4, where a group of 20 made up of work colleagues, friends and running mates from Loughrea Athletics Club will join him.

Some are doing the 10k, others are doing the half marathon, but all will be there on the finishing line to cheer him on in the phenomenal achievement.

Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.

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CITY TRIBUNE

Galway ‘masterplan’ needed to tackle housing and transport crises

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From the Galway City Tribune – An impassioned plea for a ‘masterplan’ that would guide Galway City into the future has been made in the Dáil. Galway West TD Catherine Connolly stated this week that there needed to be an all-inclusive approach with “vision and leadership” in order to build a sustainable city.

Deputy Connolly spoke at length at the crisis surrounding traffic and housing in Galway city and said that not all of the blame could be laid at the door of the local authority.

She said that her preference would be the provision of light rail as the main form of public transport, but that this would have to be driven by the government.

“I sat on the local council for 17 years and despaired at all of the solutions going down one road, metaphorically and literally. In 2005 we put Park & Ride into the development plan, but that has not been rolled out. A 2016 transport strategy was outdated at the time and still has not been updated.

“Due to the housing crisis in the city, a task force was set up in 2019. Not a single report or analysis has been published on the cause of the crisis,” added Deputy Connolly.

She then referred to a report from the Land Development Agency (LDA) that identified lands suitable for the provision of housing. But she said that two-thirds of these had significant problems and a large portion was in Merlin Park University Hospital which, she said, would never have housing built on it.

In response, Minister Simon Harris spoke of the continuing job investment in the city and also in higher education, which is his portfolio.

But turning his attention to traffic congestion, he accepted that there were “real issues” when it came to transport, mobility and accessibility around Galway.

“We share the view that we need a Park & Ride facility and I understand there are also Bus Connects plans.

“I also suggest that the City Council reflect on her comments. I am proud to be in a Government that is providing unparalleled levels of investment to local authorities and unparalleled opportunities for local authorities to draw down,” he said.

Then Minister Harris referred to the controversial Galway City Outer Ring Road which he said was “struck down by An Bord Pleanála”, despite a lot of energy having been put into that project.

However, Deputy Connolly picked up on this and pointed out that An Bord Pleanála did not say ‘No’ to the ring road.

“The High Court said ‘No’ to the ring road because An Bord Pleanála acknowledged it failed utterly to consider climate change and our climate change obligations.

“That tells us something about An Bord Pleanála and the management that submitted such a plan.”

In the end, Minister Harris agreed that there needed to be a masterplan for Galway City.

“I suggest it is for the local authority to come up with a vision and then work with the Government to try to fund and implement that.”

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