Burning garbage has more health effects than previously estimated

Mumbai: A new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research reveals that burning of trash has more adverse effect on public health than it was assumed.

Trash burning releases mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which contributes to air pollution. These hydrocarbons when burned release particles that have been linked to cancer neurological problems and cardiovascular disease.

According to the study, up to 29 percent of emissions of these small particulates on global scale is the result of burning garbage. The study was conducted after Christine Wiedinmyer, the author of the study and NCAR researchers witnessed the visible air pollution above villages in Ghana. He thus came forward to tackle the subject.

“Air pollution across the globe is significantly underestimated because no one is tracking open-fire burning of trash,” Wiedinmyer said in a statement. “The uncontrolled burning of trash is a major source of pollutants, and it’s one that should receive more attention,” she added.

It is to be noted that about 20 percent of large-particle pollutants in China is result of burning garbage. With the increase in consumption of disposable and non-recycled products in developed countries, the amount of air pollution caused by garbage burning has raised.

The study also compared population figures and per capita waste production along with official reports of trash disposal for each country in the world. The findings report that more than 40 percent of the world’s trash is burned. Wiedinmyer revealed that her next step is to track the pollutants in an effort to determine where trash burning is having the biggest negative effect.