Abstract:
Indoor and outdoor air pollution have become a public health challenge in Sri Lanka, majorly with the introduction of
open economic policy in 1978. The emissions from motor vehicles (55%), industries (25%) and domestic sources (20%)
collectively contributed to air pollution (Ministry of Environment, 2012). Sri Lanka produced over 90% of power demand from
hydroelectricity two decades before and it was gradually reduced to 40-50% approx. as of now, due to the usage of thermal and
coal power plants to produce electricity. Over 50% of the vehicles, 70% of industries and many thermal power plants are located
in the urban area of Sri Lanka (Ileperuma, 2019). Open dumping and burning of solid waste in the urban areas by both households
and local authorities-at the waste dumpsites, and continue decomposition process of waste emit dust particles, methane, toxic and
other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (Ruzaik, 2015). The culmination of all the above factors subsidized for air pollution and
it subsequently impacted for health of the general public, including children of the nation. The children are highly exposed to
polluted air in the home and school environment. However, the policymakers does not provide more priority; although it is a
dangerous and silent hazard, which is positively correlated with communicable and non-communicable diseases. Hence, this
analytical study is carried out with the objective of identifying causes and potential health impacts and to provide possible
remedial measures to mitigate and manage this issue at a minimum risk rate. Predominantly, the data and information from
published and unpublished secondary sources were used. MS-Office was used to analyze the data, following both quantitative and
qualitative approaches. Analysis reveals that World Health Organization(WHO) estimated the number of deaths attributed by air
pollution in Sri Lanka is approx.. 5,200 (Nandasena, et al. 2012) and 60% of the children visit to the Lady Ridgeway-Children
hospital for medical treatments on respiratory diseases (Ruzaik, 2015). Dharshana and Coowanitong,(2008) showed that PM10
has the strongest association to bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases among children with a
correlation coefficient of 0.717 at 99% confidence. Approximately 20% of asthma patients at the Lady Ridgeway children's
hospital could be due to exposure to high PM10 levels. This study majorly recommends to promote habits of wearing facemasks in
outdoor, especially for children and suggested the Government of Sri Lanka to prepare a national level policy strategy to provide
“Clean Air to all in 2030”.