Experts warn of the growing health risks posed by pollution in Istanbul, especially with the onset of winter, when many households burn more fuel such as coal or even wood for heating, as well as fumes from vehicles or industry itself: all these emissions endanger the health of sensitive people with, for example, heart or lung problems.
“With increasing urbanisation, the number of vehicles in the city and industrial facilities increasing, and with fossil fuels such as coal being used for heating, air pollution can vary depending on weather conditions. Pollution from nitrogen oxides or particles, which are mainly emitted by vehicles, has negative effects on the whole ecosystem, but especially on human health,” warned Hüseyin Toros, a meteorological engineering expert at Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ).
“Air pollution in winter can increase even more due to the heating factor. Every day we consume 1-2 kilos of water and eat 1-2 kilos of food; but an adult breathes on average 15 kilos of air a day… We can choose what we eat and what we drink, but unfortunately, we cannot choose the air we breathe,” stressed Toros, who added that air pollution in Istanbul is especially high in districts such as Göztepe (Kadıköy), Esenyurt, Mecidiyeköy and Kağıthane.
Dr Özlem Esen, a cardiology expert, agreed, warning of the risks for people with heart diseases. “It has been observed that when particles pollution increases, the fluidity (of blood) in the blood vessels decreases, vascular spasms occur and heart attacks are more frequent. Therefore, during the winter months, there is an increase in heart diseases”.
“It has also been observed that people show more difficulty when breathing, and there is an imbalance in blood pressure, especially in times when the hot weather suddenly turns cold,” the expert added talking about the risks of pollution in Istanbul. “At this point, people should protect themselves when they go outside, especially by wearing masks,” she concluded.
VOTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
🧿 About us
.
Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
…
📣 Your ADVERTISING on Hispanatolia
.
🤗 HELP US WITH A DONATION:
💗 Paypal
