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P.M. 2.5 Is this serious?

 
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Cool Teacher



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D

PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:59 pm    Post subject: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Today the sky was very hazy with lots of P.M 2.5 in the air. I looked it up and it means particulate matter and 2.5 is the size in mircometres. It means it can get in your lungs so maybe we shoudl wear masks to wrok. Shocked

My wife says there are warnings about it on TV and it comes from China. What happense if there is a big warning? Does it mean we can stay at home? Wink

I think this time I beat Pitarou to be the chicken little. Smile

Thakns for any information you can give me. Cool
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Big_H



Joined: 21 Dec 2013
Posts: 115

PostPosted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:18 pm    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Cool Teacher wrote:
I think this time I beat Pitarou to be the chicken little. Smile



Cool Teacher wrote:
shoudl ..wrok.. happense..Thakns


You were in that much of a hurry?
I doubt this case'd be more successful in stopping schools where minor earthquakes and swine flu had failed. Using masks is prevalent in the culture and if they are effective for this event, then it won't be a panic-inducing experience to start wearing them again.
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ZennoSaji



Joined: 02 Feb 2010
Posts: 87
Location: Mito, Ibaraki

PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:24 am    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Big_H wrote:

Cool Teacher wrote:
shoudl ..wrok.. happense..Thakns


You were in that much of a hurry?

He doesn't have to be in a hurry to type like that. Razz
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chicken Little's ex-girlfriend was a toxicologist who, for her MSc degree, did some early working demonstrating that PM2.5s are a thing to worry about.

Is there a problem in Japan? The levels aren't that high, although it's still enough to aggravate asthma (as my wife can attest). I don't have any health figures to hand, but the PM2.5 levels in Beijing are sometimes so high you can see the haze indoors! If the people of Beijing can survive in that, we're probably okay.

If you're still concerned, or if you have lung problem, you can get a special filter mask for about $100.
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:14 am    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Big_H wrote:
Using masks is prevalent in the culture and if they are effective for this event....
Normal masks aren't. The PM2.5s are so small they just slip straight through the weave.
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Cool Teacher



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D

PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:40 pm    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Pitarou wrote:
Big_H wrote:
Using masks is prevalent in the culture and if they are effective for this event....
Normal masks aren't. The PM2.5s are so small they just slip straight through the weave.


Really? Shocked

My wife says I should use a mask but I don't want to so now I can tell ehr that they don't work! Cool
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nightsintodreams



Joined: 18 May 2010
Posts: 558

PostPosted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read this scaremongering post, and as usual thought it was a load of shite. But....last night when i went to the local 7/11 I could clearly see the smog in the glow of the street lights.
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 1:44 am    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Cool Teacher wrote:
Pitarou wrote:
Big_H wrote:
Using masks is prevalent in the culture and if they are effective for this event....
Normal masks aren't. The PM2.5s are so small they just slip straight through the weave.

Really? Shocked

My wife says I should use a mask but I don't want to so now I can tell ehr that they don't work! Cool

No. Just wear the damn mask. It's easier that way.
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Cool Teacher



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nightsintodreams wrote:
I read this scaremongering post, and as usual thought it was a load of shite. But....last night when i went to the local 7/11 I could clearly see the smog in the glow of the street lights.


Laughing
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Cool Teacher



Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:11 am    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Pitarou wrote:
Cool Teacher wrote:
Pitarou wrote:
Big_H wrote:
Using masks is prevalent in the culture and if they are effective for this event....
Normal masks aren't. The PM2.5s are so small they just slip straight through the weave.

Really? Shocked

My wife says I should use a mask but I don't want to so now I can tell ehr that they don't work! Cool

No. Just wear the damn mask. It's easier that way.



Is this the voice of experience? Laughing

Cool
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:13 am    Post subject: Re: P.M. 2.5 Is this serious? Reply with quote

Cool Teacher wrote:
Pitarou wrote:
Cool Teacher wrote:
My wife says I should use a mask but I don't want to...

Just wear the damn mask. It's easier that way.

Is this the voice of experience? Laughing
Cool

Nobody told me there was a "gagging" clause in the wedding vows.
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Harp



Joined: 09 Jan 2014
Posts: 46
Location: As far north as you can get, before you hit Saitama

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently there are two types of masks that may provide some protection against PM 2.5:
N95 mask (based on the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Standard)
DS1 mask (based on the Dust Respirator Standard as specified by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)

No idea if you can just walk into Matsumoto Kiyoshi and ask for these types of mask, but here you are (this came from an international school email to parents about PM2.5).
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Pitarou



Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harp wrote:
Apparently there are two types of masks that may provide some protection against PM 2.5:
N95 mask (based on the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Standard)
DS1 mask (based on the Dust Respirator Standard as specified by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)

No idea if you can just walk into Matsumoto Kiyoshi and ask for these types of mask, but here you are (this came from an international school email to parents about PM2.5).

Thanks for the tip. I've looked into it a little more.

I found lots of sources that confirm that the N95 (a medical mask) is a good choice. A disposable N95 masks retails for about 200 yen on Amazon JP. (I thought they cost much more than that!) In fact, I think I'll get some for my wife -- the PM2.5 aggravates her asthma.

I can't find much info about the DS1. (Here's the official source, but it's not very helpful about DS1.) But, looking on Amazon, they certainly seem similar in price and design to the N95. The next step up in quality is the DS2, and there seem to be on-line sellers who are marketing them to parents concerned about their kids' lungs.
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Mr. Leafy



Joined: 24 Apr 2012
Posts: 246
Location: North of the Wall

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't just wear a mask, you need the right one, and importantly, it needs to fit properly.

These two articles might guide you.

http://www.haohaoreport.com/l/48323

http://www.haohaoreport.com/l/48240

And some easy to read info about PMU
http://www.haohaoreport.com/l/48300

(All the above are directed at foreigners in China, but could still be useful.)
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