World Environment Day Call, Blueair Urges Worldwide Action To Promote Urban Clean Air Zones

City authorities globally were urged today to create more urban clean air zones by Blueair, a world leader in indoor air purification solutions. Pinpointing an urgent need to promote increased public transportation, encourage green technologies and slash vehicle emissions, Blueair’s call to action came ahead of World Environment Day on Sunday, June 5, in a bid to raise awareness of the need to protect people around the planet from rising air pollution and to lift knowledge about the solutions.

“Smog and other airborne pollutants are killing people and making others sick, sparking cancers, allergies, respiratory diseases, dementia and a host of other physical and mental illnesses and problems,” said Bengt Rittri, Blueair founder and chief executive officer. Speaking from the company’s head office in Stockholm, Sweden, Bengt called for a greater focus by city authorities on implementing fast-track solutions that can address problems of urban air pollution.

Bengt Rittri noted how a recent study earlier this year by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said cradle-to-grave exposure to air pollution can contribute to cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity and dementia. A Global Burden of Disease report in February this year said over 5.5 million people worldwide are dying prematurely because of air pollution.

Saying such statistics underline how quickly city authorities must act to improve the air breathed by their citizens, the Blueair founder proposed five key actions:

1, Creation of clean air zones in urban areas that target high-emission vehicles to ensure they do not enter city centers
2, Improved air quality monitoring systems to build public awareness and to serve as an early warning system of worsening air pollution
3, Greater encouragement, increased financial incentives and wider promotion of green technologies
4, Substantial investment in improving public transportation and especially encouraging use of cleaner fuels
5, Educating citizens that they can take steps to protect their health and wellbeing by investing in indoor air purification technologies that are certified to remove airborne pollutants

“Being able to breathe clean air is a basic human right. With more heatwaves and droughts, more rain and floods, and ever rising levels of air pollution, it is time for us all to become advocates for the changes we want to see by putting pressure on city authorities to clean up our air,” said Bengt Rittri.

Background

“Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference.” – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.