Montreal Air Quality and Its Pollution Impact on Indoor Air
When looking at the Montreal air quality, it is concerning to think about how all this pollution impacts the air that we breathe. You can clearly see the smog that surrounds the city if you live in or around Montreal, or if you have ever been there. One question that arises from this is what effect do pollutants have on indoor air quality? For now though, let us put that aside, and let us focus on the factors that contribute to the rise of smog in the city.
Source of smog in Montreal
Smog can make a city look more polluted than it really is. In the case of Montreal, the yearly average of PM (Particulate Matter) is just within the guidelines of WHO. This makes the city of Montreal a reasonable place to live in regards to air quality.
So, why is it that sometimes there is so much smog in Montreal?
Montreal is a place filled with people who, for the most part, drive cars on a regular basis. People have things to do and places to be. Therefore, there is a lot of traffic in the streets of Montreal.
This comes at a cost though, and that cost is air pollution. The chemicals that come out of a car's exhaust, nitrogen oxides and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), are responsible for a lot of the smog in Montreal. The smog occurs when sunlight hits these chemicals which explains why we often see smog rising up in the morning as the sun also rises.
As we mentioned, the pollution in Montreal is not that bad. However, there is still a concern about the impact that all the traffic pollution has on the quality of indoor air.
Montreal air quality and its impact on indoor environment
When pollutants form outside, they eventually go away. When it comes to indoor air though, the same cannot always be said. Buildings tend to trap VOCs, CO2, PM and other chemicals which have adverse health effects such as:
Diminished lung function
Increased asthma symptoms
Increases in premature deaths
Pretty scary eh? That is why you must pay attention to the quality of your indoor environment as we talk about in the next section.
What can you do about bad indoor air quality?
The first thing to look at would be the ventilation system of the building that you are in. If the building has poor air ventilation, the pollutants will remain inside, for the most part, instead of being ejected outside. In such a case, you are bound to breathe in high amounts of PM, CO2 and VOCs.
Of course, these chemicals are not good for you, or for anyone else for that matter. This is why you must take action against bad indoor pollution. To do this, you first want to assess your indoor air with an air quality monitor. Once that is done, you are then ready to meet with an expert who can improve your indoor air quality depending on the results you get.
Montreal air quality is not to be taken lightly
This all goes to show that whether you are in Montreal, or anywhere else, air quality does not just affect you when you are outdoors... It also affects you when you are indoors. After all the time we have spent inside for the past two years, it is vital that you keep your indoor air quality in check. With that said, enjoy the breeze!
Did you know?
Humidity plays a crucial role in the spreading of germs, viruses and mold. Hence why you should keep track of it by using hygrometers.
