Environmental Issues

On a regular visit to the local apartments, our inspection team revealed hazardous living conditions in many apartments, especially the ones older than 1978. People, who call it their shelter, are mostly from the lower income group, and the quality of their lives are evident from the picture those outage apartments portray. Mostly the walls are painted with lead paints, and the environment is noticeably unhealthy. With time, the paint from the walls is peeling off, and is exposing the residents to unnoticed threats, that could have been injurious to ones health to the extent of behavioral disorders, learning disabilities and even of death. Also it is extremely harmful for the children, especially if they breathe it or passed on through their hands, their neurological and physical growth can be affected significantly. For a poor family, where they are saving expenses by not repainting, or quitting such apartments, they are actually exposing themselves to unwanted drastic consequences. Before it gets late, they should warn their landlords of peeling paints clean up peeled areas, clean their houses at regular interval with warm water or some cleaner, and keep children away from such areas as much as possible. Have healthy habits to avoid lead dust entering the nerves.

Similarly, growing mold on those damaged walls, and other areas of home are other factors associated to the health risks those old aged apartments are exposed to. Despite the fact that mold is a naturally existent substance, if in abundance, it can cause various allergic problems, infections and can turn out to be a major breathing hindrance. It can seriously damage the nasal pipe, turn eyes turn red, make throat imitate, and eventually, severely affect the nervous system. Mostly the infants and children are at risk it can also be unhealthy to the pregnant women, and ones with respiratory problems. Considering their poor quality of life and low income, they are exposing their small pockets to big expenses. But they can control this problem by regular use of house cleaners, proper cross ventilations, controlling humidity inside their homes, and by exposing the covered areas of walls regularly to the fresh air.

Another alarming issue is the untreated swimming water at local pools. Over the world, mostly two mechanisms employed to clean up the pools are ozonation and chlorination. Traditionally it had been saltwater chlorination, where the electric current passed de-bonds the Sodium Chloride, and the chlorine produced cleans away the water. In some cases, chlorine is added to maintain certain levels it is also important to know that chlorine has been a major cause of cancer, strokes and some cases, heart attacks. So making people dive into the pool of death would be an open violence.

Another method mostly deployed is the ozonation of swimming water. The water is oxidized through corona discharge or use of a UV bulb. Ozone created as a result helps in maintaining the oxidation level in water plus help in removing algae and bacteria. It is much quicker and environment friendly than chlorination but the only problem persist is that it disappears hardly after twenty minutes of its use. So shortly after ozonation, there would be no residuals.

Ozonation and chlorination put together can bring about the most feasible and desirable effects to the swimming pool water problem. Salt in water can naturally help remove the dryness of chlorine and make water feel more smooth and silky. Moreover the residuals from chlorine help in residual oxidation, and hence maintain ozone for a longer period of time in the pool water. Consequently algae and bacteria can be tackled for a longer period of time. Unlike other methods, their combination does overcomes each others short comings, and but it also requires continuous monitoring of the chemistry of pool. To control the level of chlorine, cyanuric acid is used to stabilize the chlorine levels. As ozone remains actively involve in cleaning the water under the presence of chlorine, the swimming water would be healthier than ever, and safer to swim.