Malaysia is once again blanketed by haze. The annual phenomenon shows no signs of improvement and is progressively worse than the ones earlier. We, as consumers, need to equip ourselves with the information that is vital to protect us and our loved ones.

What is Haze?
The appearance of haze is caused by the scattering of light by the suspended smoke particulates. The gathering of the small particles in large numbers could inhibit the penetration of sunlight through the atmosphere which then significantly reduces visibility. These tiny particles could be the result of natural phenomenon as well as human activities. An example of a natural condition which resulted in the haze was the El-Nino phenomenon of 1997 which extended the hot and dry climate.

This caused uncontrollable forest fire since the affected region faces low water pressure that made it difficult to manage forest fires. Human activities such as industrialization are one of the major contributor of haze. Smog from factories and motor vehicles as well as open forest burning in Kalimantan poses a serious threat for the air. In a study conducted, it was concluded that the biomass burning from the Indonesian forests was the main cause of organic aerosol particles during haze events in Malaysia if compared to other anthropogenic sources such as urban and traffic emissions (M. Radzi et al. 2004).

Indonesia burns their forest annually for agricultural clearing which is one of the main causes of haze in Southeast Asia. The forest fire associated with tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia pose the most dangerous threat due to wide affected region of about 24 million hectares. 70% of these forest is located in Indonesia which suffers poor management that causes water drainage from the peatlands. As the water dries up, the soil becomes extremely susceptible to fire due to high composition of organic materials in the soil. The fire associated with peat swamps are very difficult to suppress due to its characteristic of burning underneath the ground cover. The high carbon content of the smoke released is the cause of thick haze in Southeast Asia especially Malaysia due to our close proximity to Indonesia.

Why is Haze a Problem?
Haze has the ability to cause serious health effects due to the fine particles contained within it. Particle or particulate pollution is a pollutant that includes both solid particles and liquid droplets found in air and they can vary in sizes. There are several type of particles; ultra-fine, fine and coarse. When the levels of ultra-fine particles are high in air, it can cause various health problems.

Who are the People at Risk?
Those who are particularly at risk of being affected by haze are children, older adults and also people with health issues such as lung disease, asthma, heart disease, chronic sinusitis and respiratory problems.

How does Haze Adversely Affect Our Health?
Most people usually experience sneezing, running nose, eye irritation, throat irritation and dry cough due to haze. They are mild and pose no danger to the health of the general population. However, long term exposures can lead to reduced lung function and the development of chronic bronchitis. For example, throat irritation and running nose could lead to over mucus discharge which can end up blocking the respiratory tract. 
The health of patients with lung, heart and respiratory diseases can be largely affected because the fine particles which are inhaled can be deposited deep into lungs where they can get accumulated either on the surface or be absorbed into alveolar sac. As more alveoli gets blocked with fine particles, the less oxygen would be produced and transported to heart and other organs. As a result, the condition of the patients would become worse as the particles have the tendency to further aggravate the respiratory diseases.

Children can be also affected by haze because their lungs are still in the developing stage. They have high chances of being affected by particles because the breathing rate of children is twice of that an average human adult. Also, they usually stay out long for physical activities. Strenuous activities such as football can rapidly increase the demand for oxygen and increase the breathing rate. When their breathing rate is higher, more ultra-fine and fine particles are inhaled and accumulated in their lungs. Long term accumulation of fine particles in the children lung has been proved to cause diseases such asthma.

The fine particles in haze can also irritate skin and trigger skin allergies in both children and adults.

What can be done to protect us and our loved ones?

Keep yourself updated with the Air Pollution level by regularly checking the Air Pollution Index (API) provided at Department of Environment's website: http://www.doe.gov.my/apims/ 

Children can be protected by minimizing outdoor activities and staying indoors more. To clean the air indoors, set-up air-purifying devices at homes as these air purifiers would be able to reduce the amount of fine particles in a room to an acceptable level during severe haze incidents. Instead of using fan, using air-conditioners is more advisable. However, please make sure that they are at good condition by regularly servicing them to avoid the penetration of the fine particulate matters into you indoor air. 

The health risks associated with haze can also be reduced by wearing a mask or respirator when we are outdoors to protect us from breathing the fine haze particulates in the air. Another way is by closing all windows and openings that may allow particles to enter indoor facilities. Also, people are advised to not wear contact lenses during hazy period as this may irritate the eyes and finally end up in blindness. Also, avoid driving when the visibility is severely affected by the haze.

People are advised to drink more water and eat more fruits and vegetables to flush out the toxins from our body. Minimise the intake of coffee and alcohol to avoid body fluid loss. Avoid from smoking indoors which could add up to the level of smoke particle in the indoor air. For those suffering from heart and respiratory illnesses, please take your medication regularly and seek medical attention immediately should you develop any breathlessness.