The danger from the parking lot

Lack of ventilation, non-ventilation systems, parking tunnels are easy to accumulate pollutants, radon gas . Scientists warn, this may be a place to store toxic substances with human health, even Carcinogenic.

Newly built buildings and buildings all have a basement parking design. However, due to limited techniques and areas, most of these basements are low, dark, lack of ventilation systems and exhaust fans. Some places have exhaust fans and fans, but entering the basement still has a feeling of lack of air.

Lack of clean air

September 23 parking garage.Photo: Le Hung.

Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan (Principal of the College of Natural Resources and Environment) said that in order to limit the noise and toxic gas accumulating in the parking compartment, the driver must turn off the engine and lead the vehicle. But after taking the ticket to hold the car, most drivers drove into the parking lot. Therefore, the environment in the basement holds the car is not clear, lack of clean air.

Dr. Tuan Tuan Anh (Institute of Natural Resources and Environment) also said that to ensure safety for people working in the basement, living near the basement, the motorbikes and cars must turn off the engine when entering the tunnel . Doing so so that the vehicle no longer releases gases that pollute the surrounding environment such as CO2 and ensure fire safety. But this is only done in a few places.

Cancer risk

In addition to harmful agents such as car smoke, gasoline cars, basement, there are enemies with radon. According to KS.Nguyen Van Mai, Head of Radiation and Environment Safety Department, Ho Chi Minh City Nuclear Center, the amount of radon available in the basement of buildings and parking holds is significant, it is a carcinogenic agent. proved. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, produced from the radioactive decay of uranium, a substance present everywhere in the earth's crust. Radon is chemically inert, drains through tiny cracks and holes in matter and diffuses into the air.

From there, we can breathe them. This is only a natural phenomenon in life, but it is dangerous to human health if we live in a lack of ventilation. Worth mentioning is, radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas so humans are almost unrecognizable.

As a result of the research results of the American Cancer Society, engineer Mai said, with houses often closed, the radon level in the house is about 4pCi / l, 10 times higher than outdoor (outdoor only 0.4pCi / l). This study also results in the largest irradiation of radon being in the basement of public buildings such as parking tunnels. In particular, in the parking lot, if smoking, the risk of lung cancer is very high when radon is irradiated.

In 1,000 smokers and irradiated at 20pCi / l, 260 people can get lung cancer. At 10pCi / l, 150 people have lung cancer and 200 times higher risk of dying in a house fire. At 4pCi / l, 62 people can get lung cancer. The American Cancer Society also estimates about 20,000 people die each year in the United States due to lung cancer related to radon irradiation. For the hidden enemy of Radon gas, the best way is to measure the concentration of Radon in places where there is a lack of ventilation such as basements, offices often closed doors. If the radon content is too high, it must be quickly adjusted to avoid harm to human health.

Strict regulations on building basements are needed

Dr. Tuan Tuan Anh said that in order to limit adverse health effects for people who regularly work, must be in basements to keep vehicles, they must check the air quality in those tunnels. Need strict regulations on ventilation, air intake, the height of the basement during the construction of the building and to turn off the engine, leading the walk into the basement.