CONDO DWELLERS BEWARE | Chest physician warns of risks due ...

MANILA - A health expert has raised the alarm that the growing number of city condominium dwellers may be vulnerable to respiratory diseases due to exposure to urban indoor pollution in Metro Manila.

Dr. Imelda Mateo, chair of Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP), on Tuesday singled out condominiums and even posh villages situated along the stretch of Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue (EDSA) that all kinds of pollutants - industrial and organic ones - may be inhaled by family members.

Mateo said these may increase their risk of getting illnesses such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, cancer of the lungs, emphysema, and other upper respiratory tract infections.

Already, government figures show there are 10,000 cases of acute bronchitis in the country due to exposure to energy pollution, while asthma cases have risen to 300,000 in the past years.

Lung disease is one of the top killers in the Philippines, Mateo added.

The city has seen a boom in real estate sector, wherein condominiums are more preferred when built along EDSA and other major highways, and those along business districts where bars, pubs, and other business establishments are found.

This comes in the heels of major economic boom, prompting financially-able young urban professionals to buy condominium units conveniently located near their offices to avoid traffic rush.

The real estate business is also powered by overseas Filipino workers who are seeking sound investments for their hard-earned money.

However, Mateo noted that all the conveniences that condominiums have to offer come with a price that may not even be felt now, but surely will hit especially the vulnerable family members - children and the elderly - in a few years.

Condominiums and poorly constructed homes along EDSA run the risk of industrial pollution - which is emitted by automotives and possibly factories nearby.

While indoors, household chemicals, sewerage fumes and even cosmetics such as perfumes can increase the risks of lung illnesses. Molds and mites must also be eliminated because they contribute especially to allergic rhinitis.

Smoke from cigarettes also lowers life expectancy not just the of the smokers, but likewise those affected by second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke.

"Nicotine mixed with ambient air is a dangerous combination. These (pollutants from third hand smoke) accumulate over time, they stick to your furniture and appliance. It is impossible to get rid of it just by wiping," she stressed.

Mateo said that most condominiums have poor ventilation system and pollutants carried by air are also trapped in the dwellers' homes.

While this is the cost of urban living, there are things that can be done to lessen the impact of city pollution at home, she said.

One thing that different sectoral groups have succeeded in is integration of garden in condominium facilities.

"The plants help in converting carbon monoxide into fresher air that we can actually breathe," she said.

Mateo said there are ongoing consultations between different sectors especially condominium developers on how to implement "green architecture."

She also pushed for the use of appliances that produce negative ions to reduce the levels of air pollution indoor.

Mateo, aside from being a healthy lifestyle advocate, expressed that her group, PCCP, is also guardian of society.

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/50225/condo-dwellers-beware--chest-physician-warns-of-risks-due-to-indoor-pollution

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