Industrial pollutant exposure stunts adolescents' lung growth

In India's expanding industrial towns where development is often measured by the rising number of factories and manufacturing units, a silent health crisis is developing, one that particularly threatens the lungs of adolescents growing up in this polluted environment.

- MRIGANK BOTHRA

Industrial pollutants are risking their lives and affecting them during their adolescence.

In the industrial towns, adolescents are especially at risk from air pollutants because their lungs are still in their formative stages. This makes them more sensitive to the adverse effects of chronic exposure to airborne toxins that largely affect human health. Studies have shown that micro-level exposure to pollutants at seemingly low levels but in a consistent pattern can have long-term impacts on lung function.

A matter of infrastructure and responsibility Industrial pollution primarily arises from the untreated discharges and drainage released during production. Many industries continue to operate without modern pollution control technologies such as Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems or Dust Collector Filters. These systems are essential to filter harmful gases and dust elements from the emission stream before they are released into the surrounding environment.

Without these systems in place, pollutants such as SO