Air Pollution in Africa

Air pollution in Africa is increasing and causing problems. Such problems include killing vegetations, corroding buildings, health threats, and it is a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It is a major issue for the industrial cities. Three major sources of air pollution in Africa is energy generation, industry, and transportation. The chemical emissions from these sources pollutes the air.

Indoor pollution is becoming a major concern, because of the health impact it can have on women and children. Some of the health concerns for women and children are lower respiratory infections in young children, and chronic bronchitis and emphsema in women. Lung cancer can also develop from coal smoke. These are just a few of the health concerns there are others. Many of the households in Africa rely on woody biomasses for energy, so this is were the concern for indoor pollution comes from. These biomass fuels are being burned on open stoves in poorly ventilated conditions which causes indoor pollution. More than 200 different chemicals can be found in the smoke from the open stoves. 1.6 million people are killed yearly from indoor pollution.

The way that transportation is affecting the air is due to the use of older used vehicles and the improper maintenance of vehicles. Leaded fuel is another contributor because alot the the vehicles run off of leaded gasoline. Public transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa not affordable to many residents. Walking is a major transportation source which causes them to inhale that polluted air for hours at a time. Switching to unleaded gasoline would eliminate part of the affect transporation has on the air pollution in the Continent.