{"id":44527,"date":"2015-06-07T03:24:22","date_gmt":"2015-06-07T10:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=44527"},"modified":"2015-06-07T03:28:20","modified_gmt":"2015-06-07T10:28:20","slug":"pacha-ranawake-now-promoting-cycling-in-the-traffic-polluted-streets-in-colombo-to-spread-heart-deceases-among-his-unsuspecting-followers-city-cycling-could-do-damage-to-heart-due-to-polluting-ch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2015\/06\/07\/pacha-ranawake-now-promoting-cycling-in-the-traffic-polluted-streets-in-colombo-to-spread-heart-deceases-among-his-unsuspecting-followers-city-cycling-could-do-damage-to-heart-due-to-polluting-ch\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister Champika Ranawake now promoting cycling in the traffic polluted streets in Colombo to spread heart deceases among his unsuspecting followers- City cycling &#8216;could do damage to heart&#8217; due to polluting chemicals, new research claims"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>This is what Minister Ranawake says<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><em>\u0db6\u0dba\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dba \u0daf\u0dd4\u0db4\u0dca\u0db4\u0dad\u0dcf\u0d9c\u0dda \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dba \u0db1\u0ddc\u0dc0\u0dda. \u0db1\u0dc0\u0dd3\u0db1 \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dba\u0dba\u0dd2.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u0db6\u0ddd \u0db1\u0ddc\u0dc0\u0db1 \u0dbb\u0ddd\u0d9c \u0db4\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0db1\u0dba\u0da7\u0dbd \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0ddd\u0d9c\u0dd3 \u0daf\u0dd2\u0dc0\u0dd2 \u0db4\u0dd9\u0dc0\u0dad\u0d9a\u0da7 \u0db6\u0dba\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dca \u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd3\u0db8 \u0dc4\u0dd2\u0dad\u0d9a\u0dbb\u0dba\u0dd2.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u0db4\u0dc0\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dda, \u0dbb\u0da7\u0dda \u0d86\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dae\u0dd3\u0d9a\u0dba \u0dc3\u0dda\u0db8 \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1 \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dd2\u0db8\u0dba\u0da7\u0daf \u0d8d\u0da2\u0dd4 \u0db6\u0dbd\u0db4\u0dd0\u0db8\u0dca.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u0d85\u0db1\u0dcf\u0d9c\u0dad\u0dba \u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dca \u0dad\u0dd9\u0dbd\u0dca \u0dc4\u0dcf \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dd2\u0dba \u0d89\u0dad\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd4 \u0d9a\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd3\u0db8\u0dda \u0d85\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dd4\u0dab\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0db8\u0dd0\u0dba\u0dd2 \u0db8\u0dc3 16 \u0dc0\u0db1\u0daf\u0dcf \u0d86\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dca\u0db7 \u0d9a\u0dc5 ,\u0dc4\u0dd9\u0da7\u0d9a\u0dca \u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dca \u0dbb\u0da7\u0d9a\u0dca, \u0da2\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dd2\u0d9a \u0db6\u0dbd\u0dc1\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0dc3\u0d82\u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dc2\u0dab \u0dc0\u0dd0\u0da9\u0dc3\u0da7\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dda \u0dad\u0dc0\u0dad\u0dca \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dd4\u0d9b \u0d85\u0daf\u0dd2\u0dba\u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dca \u0d85\u0daf \u0d8b\u0daf\u0dd1\u0dc3\u0db1 7.00 \u0da7 \u0da2\u0dba\u0dc0\u0dbb\u0dca\u0db0\u0db1\u0db4\u0dd4\u0dbb \u0d9a\u0dd2\u0db9\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0dbd \u0dc4\u0db1\u0dca\u0daf\u0dd2\u0dba\u0dda\u0daf\u0dd3 \u0d86\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dca\u0db7 \u0d9a\u0dd9\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dab. \u0dc3\u0db8\u0dc3\u0dca\u0dae \u0dbd\u0d82\u0d9a\u0dcf \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2 \u0dc3\u0d82\u0d9c\u0db8\u0dba\u0dad\u0dca, \u0d92. \u0d91\u0db8\u0dca. \u0dc3\u0dd4\u0db8\u0db1\u0dc0\u0dd3\u0dbb\u0dbd \u0d87\u0db1\u0dca\u0dad\u0db1\u0dd3 \u0dc3\u0dd2\u0db8\u0db1\u0dca\u0dc3\u0dca \u0dc0\u0dd0\u0db1\u0dd2 \u0dbb\u0da7\u0dda \u0db1\u0db8 \u0d9c\u0dd2\u0dba \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbb\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0db1\u0dca, \u0dad\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dc0\u0dd2\u0db0 \u0dc4\u0db8\u0dd4\u0daf\u0dcf \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2 \u0d9a\u0dab\u0dca\u0da9\u0dcf\u0dba\u0db8\u0dca \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dba\u0ddd\u0da2\u0dd2\u0dad\u0dba\u0db1\u0dca \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dd4\u0d9b 600 \u0d9a\u0dca \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbb\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0db1\u0dca \u0d85\u0db8\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dca\u200d\u0dba \u0da0\u0db8\u0dca\u0db4\u0dd2\u0d9a \u0dbb\u0dab\u0dc0\u0d9a \u0db8\u0dd0\u0dad\u0dd2\u0dad\u0dd4\u0db8\u0db1\u0dca, \u0d85\u0db8\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dca\u200d\u0dba\u0dcf\u0d82\u0dc1 \u0dbd\u0dda\u0d9a\u0db8\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd4\u0db8\u0db1\u0dca \u0dc3\u0dc4 \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dd2\u0db6\u0dbd \u0dc4\u0dcf \u0db6\u0dbd\u0dc1\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0d85\u0db8\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dca\u200d\u0dba\u0dcf\u0d82\u0dc1\u0dba\u0da7 \u0d85\u0db1\u0dd4\u0db6\u0daf\u0dca\u0db0 \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dbd\u0db0\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0dd3\u0db1\u0dca \u0db4\u0dd9\u0dbb\u0da7\u0dd4\u0d9a\u0dbb \u0d9c\u0db1\u0dd2\u0db8\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0daf\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dc1\u0db1\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dca\u0db8\u0d9a \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2 \u0db0\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0db1 \u0dad\u0dbb\u0d9c \u0d89\u0dc3\u0dc0\u0dca\u0dc0\u0d9a\u0dca \u0db4\u0dd0\u0dc0\u0dd0\u0dad\u0dca\u0dc0\u0dd2\u0dab. \u0db8\u0dd9\u0db8 \u0db4\u0dcf\u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2 \u0db0\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0db1\u0dba \u0db4\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dbd\u0dd2\u0db8\u0dda\u0db1\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd4 \u0dc0\u0da7\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dd4\u0db8 \u0db4\u0dc3\u0dd4\u0d9a\u0dbb \u0dbb\u0dcf\u0da2\u0d9c\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dba \u0dc4\u0dbb\u0dc4\u0dcf \u0d9a\u0dcf\u0dc3\u0dbd\u0dca \u0dc0\u0dd3\u0daf\u0dd2\u0dba, \u0d9a\u0db1\u0dad\u0dca\u0dad \u0dc0\u0da7\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dd4\u0db8 \u0db4\u0dc3\u0dd4\u0d9a\u0dbb \u0db6\u0dde\u0daf\u0dca\u0db0\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0ddd\u0d9a \u0db8\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0dad\u0dda \u0db8\u0dbd\u0dbd\u0dc3\u0dda\u0d9a\u0dbb \u0db8\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0dad \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dd2 \u0dc3\u0d82\u0da5\u0dcf \u0d85\u0dc3\u0dbd\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0daf\u0d9a\u0dd4\u0dab\u0da7 \u0dc4\u0dd0\u0dbb\u0dd3 \u0db1\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dc4\u0dc3\u0dca \u0da0\u0dad\u0dd4\u0dbb\u0dc3\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dba\u0da7 \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dda\u0dc1\u00a0\u0dc0\u0dd2\u0dba.\u0d85\u0db4\u0da7 \u0d9c\u0dd0\u0dc5\u0db4\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dbd \u0dbb\u0da7\u0da7 \u0d9c\u0dd0\u0dc5\u0db4\u0dd9\u0db1 \u0db4\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dbb \u0dc4\u0dd2\u0dad\u0d9a\u0dcf\u0db8\u0dd3 \u0dc3\u0dd1\u0db8 \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dc4\u0db1 \u0db8\u0dcf\u0db0\u0dca\u200d\u0dba\u0d9a\u0dca\u0db8 \u0da2\u0db1\u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dba \u0d9a\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dd3\u0db8 \u0dbb\u0da2\u0dba\u0d9a \u0dc0\u0d9c\u0d9a\u0dd3\u0db8 \u0db6\u0dc0\u0dad\u0dca \u0d92 \u0dc3\u0daf\u0dc4\u0dcf \u0db4\u0dd6\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0daf\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dc1\u0dba\u0d9a\u0dca \u0dc3\u0db4\u0dba\u0db8\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0d89\u0daf\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0dba\u0dda\u0daf\u0dd3 \u0d9a\u0da7\u0dba\u0dd4\u0dad\u0dd4\u0d9a\u0dbb\u0db1 \u0db6\u0dc0\u0dad\u0dca \u0d87\u0db8\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0db4\u0dcf\u0da8\u0dbd\u0dd3 \u0da0\u0db8\u0dca\u0db4\u0dd2\u0d9a \u0dbb\u0dab\u0dc0\u0d9a \u0db8\u0dc4\u0dad\u0dcf \u0dc3\u0daf\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dca \u0d9a\u0dbb \u0dc3\u0dd2\u0da7\u0dd2\u0dba\u0dda \u0d9a\u0dd2\u0dbd\u0ddd\u0db8\u0dd3\u0da7\u0dbb\u0dca 11.02 \u0d9a\u0dca \u0daf\u0dd4\u0dbb \u0dc3\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dae\u0d9a\u0dc0 \u0db4\u0dcf \u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd2 \u0db0\u0dcf\u0dc0\u0db1\u0dba \u0d85\u0dc0\u0dc3\u0db1\u0dca \u0d9a\u0ddc\u0da7 \u0db1\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dc4\u0dc3\u0dca \u0da0\u0dad\u0dd4\u0dbb\u0dc3\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb \u0db7\u0dd6\u0db8\u0dd2\u0dba\u0da7 \u0db4\u0dd0\u0db8\u0dd2\u0dab\u0dd2\u0db8\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dca \u0db4\u0dc3\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0dba.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">But This is the hidden Truth<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">City cycling &#8216;could do damage to heart&#8217; due to polluting chemicals, new research claims<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"standfirst\">Cycling in heavy pollution could affect heart&#8217;s ability to respond to different levels of exertion, say Dublin scientists<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cycling in cities could do more damage than good to a rider\u2019s heart due to dangerous pollutants in the air, a new study based on cycling in Dublin has found.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Dublin study is not the first to suggest that air pollution in cities may pose a health risk to cyclists back in 2011 we reported on a <a href=\"http:\/\/road.cc\/content\/news\/44758-urban-cyclists-breathe-more-twice-amount-harmful-soot-pedestrians-do-says-london\">study conducted by Proffessor John Grigg<\/a> for\u00a0Barts and The London School of Medicine\u00a0which found that London cyclists inhaled 2.3 times more black carbon than pedestrians. That same year a <a class=\"ext\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/?term=10.1289\/ehp.1003321\" target=\"_blank\">study in Ottawa<\/a>suggested that cyclists could experience short term heart irregularities in urban cyclists exposed to high levels of pollution.<\/p>\n<p>The problem for cyclists is that when they exert themselves breathe more heavily than pedestrians, meaning their exposure to miniscule particles of polluting chemicals is increased.<\/p>\n<p>The Scientists who have studied cyclists in Dublin say that these chemicals reduce the ability of the heart to respond to different rates of exertion (a similar finding to the 2011 Ottawa study).<\/p>\n<p>They noted that: These [findings] indicate that exercise while commuting has an influence on inhaled particulate matter, associated with acute declines in heart rate variability, especially in pedestrians and cyclists.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As well as exhaust fumes, studies have shown that vehicle brakes and tyres also generate potentially dangerous particles, which can penetrate the lungs due to their tiny size and work their way into the bloodstream.<\/p>\n<p>The Dublin study of 32 fit healthy cyclists was led by Marguerite Nyhan of Trinity College Dublin, who advised riders to choose relatively traffic-free routes for their health.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for Sustrans, a charity that campaigns for cycling and walking, said: Air pollution is a concern and Sustrans is calling on the government to ban unfiltered diesel vehicles from Britain\u2019s cities. However, the benefits of cycling and walking far outweigh the health risks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Professor Ross Anderson of the government\u2019s advisory committee on the medical effects of air pollutants told the <a class=\"ext\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thesundaytimes.co.uk\/sto\/news\/uk_news\/National\/article1357497.ece\" target=\"_blank\">Sunday Times (\u00a3)<\/a>: While the health benefits of cycling are likely to be beneficial, the balancing of risks is problematic. Other epidemiological evidence suggests that traffic pollution has lasting health effects.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While any exposure to pollution is unlikely to be a good thing it it worth noting that the studies from Dublin, London, and Ottawa were based on a small sample sizes &#8211; 32 in Dublin, 42 in Ottawa. it&#8217;s also worth noting that accordint to a \u00a0Danish study car occupants are most at risk of inhaling harmful traffic pollution being exposed to up to four times the levels of pollutants that cyclists are.<\/p>\n<p>Currently the best advice for urban cyclists who want to reduce their exposure to harmful pollutants is to opt for quieter routes on less busy roads. One other suggestion resulting fromt he Ottawa study is that cyclists should keep at least 15 feet back from a car or lorry&#8217;s exhaust pipe. The closer you get to the exhuast the finer the particulates of the most harmful pollutants &#8211; but as they get further from the exhaust they tend to clump together in to heavier particles which fall to the ground and are thus less likely to be breathed in.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"http:\/\/road.cc\/content\/news\/67317-glasgow-has-highest-level-toxic-pollution-uk\">we reported last year<\/a>, Glasgow is the most polluted city in the UK, and the fifth worst in the whole of Europe, a study has shown.<\/p>\n<p>The report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) measured the toxic gas nitrogen dioxide, caused by exhaust fumes and industrial pollution.<\/p>\n<p>Only ten cities, of which Glasgow was one, breached the limits for the harmful gas. Levels in Glasgow were 46.3 microgrammes per cubic metre, above the legal European limit of 40mg\/m3.<\/p>\n<p>According to government information, nitrogen dioxide is pretty nasty stuff:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of a group of gases called nitrogen oxides. Road transport is estimated to be responsible for about 50% of total emissions of nitrogen oxides, which means that nitrogen dioxide levels are highest close to busy roads and in large urban areas. Gas boilers in buildings are also a source of nitrogen oxides.<br \/>\nThere is good evidence that nitrogen is harmful to health. The most common outcomes are respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough. Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lung and reduces immunity to lung infections such as bronchitis. Studies also suggest that the health effects are more pronounced in people with asthma compared to healthly individuals.<br \/>\nIn recent years the average level of nitrogen dioxide within London has not fallen as quickly as predicted. This largely appears to be the result of diesel cars creating more nitrogen dioxide than was anticipated.<br \/>\nNitrogen dioxide also reacts with hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight to create ozone, and contributes to the formation of particles*.<\/p>\n<p>*tiny bits of solids or liquids suspended in the air, that can settle in the airway and deep in the lungs and cause health problems.<\/p>\n<p>Pedaling behind pollutant-spewing cars and trucks may not seem as scary as being hit by one, but scientists say it can pose invisible dangers.<\/p>\n<p>Now, for the first time, cycling in heavy traffic has been linked to a heart health risk, Canadian researchers reported last month. A new study found cyclists in Ottawa, Ontario, had heart irregularities in the hours after their exposure to a variety of air pollutants on busy roads.<\/p>\n<p>Pedaling behind pollutant-spewing cars and trucks may not seem as scary as being hit by one, but scientists say it can pose invisible dangers.&#8221;Our findings suggest that short-term exposure to traffic may have a significant impact on cardiac autonomic function in healthy adults,&#8221; the scientists from Health Canada, Environment Canada and the University of Ottawa <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/21672679\">wrote in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The study does not suggest that bikers would be better off driving, experts say. Rather, the findings intensify the scrutiny on cyclists&#8217; pollution exposure, and point to simple solutions for a cleaner ride, such as avoiding busy roads like 8th Avenue whenever possible.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s something that actually concerns a lot of people that do cycle,&#8221; said Michael Brauer, a cyclist and atmospheric scientist at the University of British Columbia who was not involved in the new study. &#8220;People want to understand their risk. They&#8217;re just thinking all the time, &#8216;Is this good for me? Is this bad for me? I&#8217;m doing my part, but there&#8217;s this car that&#8217;s throwing this exhaust in my face.&#8217; &#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For the study, 42 healthy, non-smoking cyclists wore heart monitors before, during and after cycling for one hour on high- and low-traffic roads between May and September last year. Instruments on the bikes&#8217; panniers measured exposure to air pollution.<\/p>\n<table class=\"FCKimagetableL\" width=\"150\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.environmentalhealthnews.org\/ehs\/images\/2011\/july\/2011-0706cyclingmom.jpg\" alt=\"2011-0706cyclingmom\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"FCKcredit\">Brett Israel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"FCKcaption\">Study results point to simple solutions for a cleaner ride, such as avoiding busy roads whenever possible.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Short-term exposure to heavy traffic significantly decreased heart rate variability in the cyclists for up to three hours after they finished cycling. Experts say reduced heart rate variability is associated with a higher risk of heart attacks.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A very healthy person is like a Ferrari,&#8221; said Arden Pope, an expert in the health effects of air pollution and professor at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. &#8220;Step on the gas and it really goes fast. Step on the brakes and it really slows down. The human heart, you want it to be like that too.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But with lower heart rate variability, the heart is behaving more like a\u00a0minivan than a Ferrari, Pope said, meaning that it is less able to respond to stress.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers are not sure how air pollution alters heart rate variability, Pope said. One idea is that particles in the lungs cause inflammation, which throws off the body&#8217;s ability to carry out its automatic functions.<\/p>\n<p>No respiratory effects were found in the cyclists. The researchers did not find any significant changes in their lung function, probably because all the cyclists were healthy, and most had no asthma or other respiratory problems.<\/p>\n<p>Around the world, researchers have found that whenever fine particles increase in the air, deaths and hospitalizations from asthma, heart attacks and other cardiopulmonary problems increase, too.<\/p>\n<p>Hours to weeks of exposure to particles that are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which peak during rush hours, can trigger cardiovascular effects, according to the American Heart Association.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers are not sure how air pollution alters heart rate variability. One idea is that particles in the lungs cause inflammation, which throws off the body&#8217;s ability to carry out its automatic functions.For the Canadian cyclists, when their exposure to certain pollutants, including ultrafine particles, nitrogen dioxide or ozone, increased, their heart rate variability decreased, according to the study.<\/p>\n<p>Sheer proximity to tailpipes is one reason why cyclists have a high exposure to the tiny particle pollutants, which are emitted by vehicles along with thousands of other chemicals. Diesel buses and trucks are among the worst offenders.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The closer you are to the source of the fresh exhaust, the worse it is,&#8221; said Patrick Ryan, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Cincinnati, who studies the health effects of traffic-related pollution.<\/p>\n<p>Near the tailpipe, these particles are small enough to lodge deep in the lungs, triggering heart attacks and hospitalizations from lung diseases such as asthma. Tiny particles can also cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially harming the nervous system. Farther away from the tailpipe, these particles clump together, growing too large to lodge deeply, Ryan said.<\/p>\n<header class=\"content__head tonal__head tonal__head--tone-news&lt;br \/&gt;&lt;br \/&gt;\n    \"><\/p>\n<div class=\"content__header tonal__header u-cf\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column\">\n<h1 class=\"content__headline js-score\">Air pollution: how big a problem is it for cyclists?<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tonal__standfirst u-cf\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column\">\n<div class=\"content__standfirst\" data-link-name=\"standfirst\" data-component=\"standfirst\">\n<p>It prematurely kills around 30,000 Britons a year, but at least on a bike there are measures you can take to reduce the risks<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"content__main tonal__main tonal__main--tone-news\">\n<div class=\"gs-container\">\n<div class=\"content__main-column content__main-column--article js-content-main-column \">\n<div class=\"js-football-tabs football-tabs content__mobile-full-width\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"media-primary media-content\" data-component=\"image\">\n<div class=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"maxed responsive-img\" src=\"http:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-300\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392727110858\/5926a918-2dca-40c3-91db-13466d41483e-300x180.jpeg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 980px) 620px, (min-width: 740px) 700px, (min-width: 660px) 620px, (min-width: 480px) 645px, 465px\" srcset=\"\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-620\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392727112330\/5926a918-2dca-40c3-91db-13466d41483e-620x372.jpeg 620w, \/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-700\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392727110530\/5926a918-2dca-40c3-91db-13466d41483e-1020x612.jpeg 700w, \/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-645\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392727110530\/5926a918-2dca-40c3-91db-13466d41483e-1020x612.jpeg 645w, \/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-465\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392727110196\/5926a918-2dca-40c3-91db-13466d41483e-540x324.jpeg 465w\" alt=\"Bike Blog: air pollution\" \/><i class=\"i i-expand-white\"><\/i><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--main caption--img\"> Air pollution in London. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a scenario familiar to any urban cyclist: you\u2019re stuck behind a fume-belching bus or taxi, a choking diesel aroma wafting through your lungs. You think: is this really the healthy option?<\/p>\n<p>The good, if simple, answer from pollution experts is: yes. <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/cycling\" data-link-name=\"auto-linked-tag\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Cycling<\/a> does remain many, many times better for your health than not cycling, even factoring in exposure to pollution and the risk of accident. What\u2019s more surprising is that on two wheels you might even be exposed to less of the smelly stuff than those using other forms of transport.<\/p>\n<p>The more full answer is, inevitably, slightly mixed. Air pollution is a very real danger, with even conservative estimates <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/xhttp\/\/www.publications.parliament.uk\/pa\/cm201012\/cmselect\/cmenvaud\/1024\/102404.htm\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">gauging it prematurely kills almost 30,000 Britons a year<\/a>, making it the most deadly public health hazard apart from smoking.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, experts say, there are a range of measures cyclists can take to limit their exposure, from taking quieter back routes, to cycling at particular times of the day. There\u2019s even an argument that pollution masks, once common in cities like<a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk\/london\" data-link-name=\"auto-linked-tag\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">London<\/a> but little seen these days, might help. But more of that later.<\/p>\n<p>Gary Fuller, <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/kclpure.kcl.ac.uk\/portal\/gary.fuller.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">an expert on air quality at King\u2019s College London<\/a>, notes that the villain behind most of the peril in urban areas is the diesel engine. While petrol vehicles have somewhat cleaned up their emissions in recent years, diesels still emit lots of particulate nasties like black carbon, and are increasingly common in new cars. He says:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>People should be worrying about diesel traffic and particle exposure, and also about nitrogen dioxide. The thing about these is they haven\u2019t really improved in urban areas for the last decade or so. We\u2019ve managed to clean up air pollution emissions in terms of nitrogen dioxide from petrol cars.<\/p>\n<p>Buy a petrol car today and it will emit about four-tenths as much in oxides as a car you bought 10 or 12 years ago. But for diesels, despite the fact we have ever-tighter emissions standards the conditions in which the emissions test is performed doesn\u2019t really reflect the real world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It is, Fuller adds, a national issue:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>It\u2019s not just a London problem. You can go out into apparently rural areas with an A-road travelling through a small village and you can find EU limits being exceeded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That said, the way people are exposed to airborne pollution is not as straightforward as you might think. Fuller\u2019s <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"https:\/\/kclpure.kcl.ac.uk\/portal\/benjamin.barratt.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">KCL colleague, Ben Barratt<\/a>, carried out a test in which a group of Londoners \u2013 an ambulance driver, a cycle courier, a toddler, a pensioner, an office worker and a school pupil \u2013 spent the same 24-hour period fitted with GPS trackers and an instrument to measure their exposure to black carbon.<\/p>\n<p>Barrett stresses this was no more than an illustrative demonstration study, but the graph of cumulative exposure is nonetheless interesting, with the cycle courier encountering the second-least amount of less black carbon overall, and being exposed to less than the ambulance driver during work hours as a proportion of the total day.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"img-2\" class=\"element element-image img--landscape fig--narrow-caption fig--has-shares\" data-media-id=\"gu-fc-c5988c67-648a-4ffd-b499-31eac1025a8c\"><a class=\"article__img-container js-gallerythumbs\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/bike-blog\/2014\/feb\/20\/air-pollution-cyclists-bike-blog#img-2\" data-link-name=\"Launch Article Lightbox\" data-is-ajax=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gu-image\" src=\"http:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-300\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392730283867\/b8c29654-4775-4cec-9ee3-426da7a32339-300x180.png\" sizes=\"(min-width: 660px) 620px, (min-width: 480px) 605px, 445px\" srcset=\"\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-620\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392730284184\/365d1faf-d15c-4f6d-ae71-1703690fe996-620x372.png 620w, \/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-605\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392730284184\/365d1faf-d15c-4f6d-ae71-1703690fe996-620x372.png 605w, \/\/i.guim.co.uk\/static\/w-445\/h--\/q-95\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2014\/2\/18\/1392730282676\/48db7937-2bff-4696-a66e-71167d29f379-460x276.png 445w\" alt=\"Bike Blog: King's Colllege London pollution study\" \/><i class=\"i i-expand-white\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"block-share block-share--article hide-on-mobile\" data-link-name=\"block share\"><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--facebook js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgu.com%2Fp%2F3mp95%2Fsfb%23img-2&amp;ref=responsive\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social facebook\"><i class=\"i\"><\/i><span class=\"u-h\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--twitter js-blockshare-link\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Air+pollution%3A+how+big+a+problem+is+it+for+cyclists%3F&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fgu.com%2Fp%2F3mp95%2Fstw%23img-2\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social twitter\"><i class=\"i\"><\/i><span class=\"u-h\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"rounded-icon block-share__item block-share__item--pinterest js-blockshare-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?description=Air+pollution%3A+how+big+a+problem+is+it+for+cyclists%3F&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2Fbike-blog%2F2014%2Ffeb%2F20%2Fair-pollution-cyclists-bike-blog&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.guim.co.uk%2Fsys-images%2FGuardian%2FPix%2Fpictures%2F2014%2F2%2F18%2F1392730283570%2F66ba3452-e13b-4f33-a37c-1ca67e6b2de9-1020x612.png\" target=\"_blank\" data-link-name=\"social pinterest\"><i class=\"i\"><\/i><span class=\"u-h\">Pinterest<\/span><\/a><\/div><figcaption class=\"caption caption--img caption caption--img\"> A graph produced by Ben Barratt of King\u2019s College London shows the cumulative exposure to black carbon. Photograph: King&#8217;s College London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are other factors at play, Barratt says, not least the ambulance driver\u2019s longer working hours, and the different levels of exposure depending on where people lived. However, he says, it does seem that cycling helps dissipate smog through movement in the open:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>A lot of it is about ventilation, and the cycle courier is in a big, open air room, whereas the ambulance driver is in an enclosed box.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, if you\u2019re replacing dirty air with dirty air it doesn\u2019t make much difference, but with this particular pollutant you\u2019re very susceptible to individual, filthy diesel vehicles, and that\u2019s what the ambulance driver is picking up, I think.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>There is, of course, another big factor at play: Barrett\u2019s study measures exposure, not dosage, and a cyclist is likely to breathe more heavily, which could increase the amount of black carbon ingested. Conversely, in a busy city like London a trip by bike can be much quicker than, say, its equivalent on a bus, which can reduce exposure all over again.<\/p>\n<p>As an aside, Barrett notes the relatively small amount of daytime pollution exposure for the office worker, despite the fact they are based in central London. This is, seemingly, because their office is mechanically ventilated:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>It\u2019s not necessarily just where you are. It\u2019s a combination of where you are, what you\u2019re doing, and what time of day you\u2019re doing it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So, as a cyclist, what can you do to limit your exposure? One simple idea is to take quieter back streets, where the concentration of some pollutants can be considerably lower than on main roads. As an illustration, the <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.londonair.org.uk\/LondonAir\/Default.aspx\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">London Air website<\/a>provides a live map of smog levels in the capital, showing how so much of it is clustered around big roads.<\/p>\n<p>Fuller also advises riders to consider when they cycle, especially in the summer, when ozone tends to peak in the afternoon, and can have a significant impact on lung function:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>Ozone follows a distinct diurnal pattern. It\u2019s always greatest in the mid to late afternoon. It\u2019s not so much for urban cyclists but if you\u2019re looking to have a day out on the bike maybe think about travelling in the morning and then the evening, avoiding the mid afternoon on the hottest, most polluted days. That can reduce your exposure quite a lot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ozone build-up is the reason endurance events at the London 2012 Olympics, like the marathon, were mainly scheduled in the morning.<\/p>\n<p>Yet <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/biohealth\/research\/divisions\/aes\/about\/people\/Mudway\/index.aspx\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">another KCL academic, Ian Mudway<\/a>, an expert on respiratory toxicology, points to <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2662779\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">studies by Edinburgh university in co-operation with academics in Beijing<\/a>, which appeared to show that masks can filter out some smog.<\/p>\n<p>The lessons are not entirely clear, he stresses, not least as the masks used were closer to industrial ones than cycling masks, while Beijing\u2019s pollution is more severe even than London. He says:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>Having read those papers I wouldn\u2019t say they have no benefit. I might say that people who wear them probably overestimate the benefits that they\u2019re delivering, but I think there\u2019s enough in that paper to say they make some difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Fuller reiterates that the risk from pollution is often underestimated. He cites a questionnaire sent by smog campaigners to MPs, asking them to list a series of public health hazards. Air pollution was, he says, consistently and wrongly placed at the bottom.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"quoted\">\n<div class=\" quoted__contents\">\n<p>It\u2019s an illustration of how the perception of risk isn\u2019t fully understood. I have a feeling cyclists perceive the risk form pollution more than the general public, because they have a much more intimate association with it, much more visceral.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As ever, all this needs to be placed in context. And the context is clear: cycling is, on balance, very good for you even in big cities.<\/p>\n<p>A <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2014\/feb\/14\/boris-bikes-benefit-older-cyclists\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">study last week in the British Medical Journal said<\/a> London\u2019s hire bike scheme had brought a clear net benefit to health, as activity outweighed the risks from pollution or crashes. An <a class=\" u-underline\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/343\/bmj.d4521\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"in-body-link\">earlier study on Barcelona\u2019s equivalent bike hire scheme<\/a>, published in the British Medical Journal, estimated the system saved the city an average of more than 12 lives a year overall.<\/p>\n<p>But pollution is still a worry. I have a habit of leaving home sufficiently late that I usually end up cycling to the office along the most choked main roads. There is a perfectly good route which guides me mainly along the back streets, but takes about ten minutes longer. Maybe it\u2019s time to start thinking about that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is what Minister Ranawake says \u0db6\u0dba\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dba \u0daf\u0dd4\u0db4\u0dca\u0db4\u0dad\u0dcf\u0d9c\u0dda \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dba \u0db1\u0ddc\u0dc0\u0dda. \u0db1\u0dc0\u0dd3\u0db1 \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0dc0\u0dcf\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dba\u0dba\u0dd2. \u0db6\u0ddd \u0db1\u0ddc\u0dc0\u0db1 \u0dbb\u0ddd\u0d9c \u0db4\u0dcf\u0dbd\u0db1\u0dba\u0da7\u0dbd \u0db1\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0ddd\u0d9c\u0dd3 \u0daf\u0dd2\u0dc0\u0dd2 \u0db4\u0dd9\u0dc0\u0dad\u0d9a\u0da7 \u0db6\u0dba\u0dd2\u0dc3\u0dd2\u0d9a\u0dbd\u0dca \u0db4\u0dd0\u0daf\u0dd3\u0db8 \u0dc4\u0dd2\u0dad\u0d9a\u0dbb\u0dba\u0dd2. \u0db4\u0dc0\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dda, \u0dbb\u0da7\u0dda \u0d86\u0dbb\u0dca\u0dae\u0dd3\u0d9a\u0dba \u0dc3\u0dda\u0db8 \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dda\u0dc1 \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dd2\u0db8\u0dba\u0da7\u0daf \u0d8d\u0da2\u0dd4 \u0db6\u0dbd\u0db4\u0dd0\u0db8\u0dca. \u0d85\u0db1\u0dcf\u0d9c\u0dad\u0dba \u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dca \u0dad\u0dd9\u0dbd\u0dca \u0dc4\u0dcf \u0dc0\u0dd2\u0daf\u0dd4\u0dbd\u0dd2\u0dba \u0d89\u0dad\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd4 \u0d9a\u0dd2\u0dbb\u0dd3\u0db8\u0dda \u0d85\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dd4\u0dab\u0dd2\u0db1\u0dca \u0db8\u0dd0\u0dba\u0dd2 \u0db8\u0dc3 16 \u0dc0\u0db1\u0daf\u0dcf \u0d86\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dca\u0db7 \u0d9a\u0dc5 ,\u0dc4\u0dd9\u0da7\u0d9a\u0dca \u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dd4\u0dc0\u0dd9\u0db1\u0dca \u0dbb\u0da7\u0d9a\u0dca, \u0da2\u0dcf\u0dad\u0dd2\u0d9a \u0db6\u0dbd\u0dc1\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0dc3\u0d82\u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dca\u0dc2\u0dab \u0dc0\u0dd0\u0da9\u0dc3\u0da7\u0dc4\u0db1\u0dda \u0dad\u0dc0\u0dad\u0dca \u0db4\u0dca\u200d\u0dbb\u0db8\u0dd4\u0d9b \u0d85\u0daf\u0dd2\u0dba\u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dca \u0d85\u0daf [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forum"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44527"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44527\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}