Are you inhaling "carcinogens" every second while sweeping tombs during Qingming Festival? Experts warn: Beware of allergy "explosion" in a short period of time
Smoke from burning incense and paper money may cause cancer. “The 4 most toxic chemicals” should be paid attention to
During the Qingming Festival holiday, we return home to visit our graves and pay our respects. Beware of the “cancer” risk caused by burning paper money! According to the Environmental Protection Agency of the Executive Yuan, burning incense and gold paper not only easily causes fires and increases carbon emissions, affecting the environment, but the chemicals produced during burning may also have adverse effects on human health. Burning incense or gold paper will produce dioxide, sulfur dioxide, benzene, toluene, formaldehyde or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Among them, benzene, toluene, formaldehyde and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are carcinogens and may cause the following effects on the body:
Benzene: The American Cancer Society (ACS) points out that inhaling high doses of benzene will cause short-term or long-term effects. In the short term, it will affect the nervous system, causing drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches. Eating food contaminated with benzene will cause vomiting, gastric cancer, and gastrointestinal irritation. External stimulation. Long-term exposure may cause anemia and even acute leukemia and blood cancer.
Toluene: The U.S. CDC points out that exposure to toluene can cause eye and nose irritation, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, headache, anxiety, muscle fatigue, or severe skin inflammation and liver and kidney damage.
Formaldehyde: A common chemical in daily life, it is added in glue, paint, pesticides or laundry detergent. A small amount of formaldehyde will not affect the human body; however, the US CDC points out that excessive formaldehyde exposure can irritate the eyes, skin or respiratory tract, aggravate the symptoms of asthma patients, or cause skin rashes, shortness of breath, or even decreased lung function.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: The US CDC stated that the impact of exposure to low concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the human body is unclear, but excessive exposure may cause harm to blood circulation and cause serious liver disease.
What pollutants will be produced by burning paper money? Expert: Beware of allergy outbreaks in a short period of time
Professor Zhao Mingwei, a toxicology expert and associate professor of the Department of Biotechnology of Chung Yuan University, also said in an exclusive interview that the smoke from burning paper money not only contains a large amount of PM2.5 suspended particles, but also contains carcinogens such as tar, benzene, toluene, and formaldehyde. Sulfides, nitrogen compounds, and hydrocarbons containing free radicals are also released. For example, skin contact with benzene and other substances may cause skin redness and swelling. If you do not wear a mask, it will increase the occurrence of allergies and asthma.
In addition, formaldehyde substances can irritate the upper respiratory tract and eyes, causing tearing and itching. If you have allergies yourself, exposure to large amounts of smoke from burning incense and paper money is likely to induce allergic symptoms in a short period of time. “The air quality when burning paper money is equivalent to the “Purple Explosion” level. Do not take a deep breath while burning paper money. It is also best for children not to run or move around to avoid inhaling a large amount of pollutants!”
Professor Zhao Mingwei said that you must wear a mask when burning paper money, and it is even recommended to wear an N95 or use an air purifier for those who need to be in contact for a long time. In addition, although the environmentally friendly gold paper on the market is made from post-processed wood pulp and bamboo pulp, various harmful substances will be produced after burning. It is recommended that the public burn gold paper during the Qingming Festival to reduce the portion and shorten the time, and just do it according to your heart. People with allergies and children should stay away from burning areas.
Is poor air quality likely to cause allergies and asthma? Taiwan Health Promotion Administration calls for: 4 measures to avoid respiratory symptoms
The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, Health Promotion Administration also reminds people with cardiopulmonary dysfunction that their respiratory systems are easily irritated and excessive exposure to chemicals will aggravate the symptoms of respiratory diseases (such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing). Additionally, people with asthma and chronic lung disease, as well as children and the elderly, are often more susceptible to the effects of chemicals. The public is urged not to be over-exposed to poor air quality to avoid asthma, headaches, dizziness, allergies, etc. If you have respiratory-related diseases, it is recommended that the public take the following three measures to protect the health of the lungs and respiratory tract when worshiping ancestors during the Qingming Festival:
Use flowers instead of perfume. Or replace traditional incense with environmentally friendly electronic incense holders.
Use environmentally friendly gold furnaces. You can give priority to environmentally friendly gold furnaces that comply with national standards and minimize the amount of incineration. If you burn gold paper in a non-outdoor environment, you must pay attention to good ventilation to avoid inhaling a large amount of combustion smoke, which may cause harm to the respiratory tract.
Make sure to wear a mask. Reduce chemical exposure. Taiwan Health Promotion Administration pointed out that in addition to effectively blocking the new coronavirus from invading the body, masks can also prevent smoke from being inhaled into the lungs or respiratory tract to a certain extent.
Check air pollution information. The WHO issued air quality guidelines in 2017. If the air quality indicator is “orange” for a long time, the mortality rate of lung cancer patients will surge to 15%. Therefore, before going out, it is recommended to use the mobile APP or go online to understand the air quality of the day.
Source:
Extended reading:
