The findings, part of Dyson’s “Global Air Quality Connected Data” report for the year 2022, were announced on January 18. (Image courtesy of Dyson)
SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study by global technology firm Dyson, analyzing data from approximately 2.5 million of its air purifiers installed across 39 countries and 44 cities, has revealed that January experiences the most severe indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in South Korea.
The findings, part of Dyson’s “Global Air Quality Connected Data” report for the year 2022, were announced on January 18.
The study utilized data from air purifiers linked to the “MyDyson” application, examining daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual trends in gas and particle pollution. According to Dyson, the collected big data comprised over 500 billion data points.
In South Korea, the sample size used for the study consisted of 72,645 data points. The study showed that globally, indoor fine particulate matter pollution tends to be higher during colder seasons in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Specifically, South Korea recorded its highest levels of indoor air pollution in January, with the average monthly concentration of PM2.5 being more than 2.6 times higher than the lowest recorded in August.
Dyson explained this increase by noting that colder weather leads to longer periods spent indoors with closed windows and the operation of combustion-based heating systems. These systems can cause a build-up of pollutants in closed spaces, worsening indoor air quality.
The study found that in many countries, including South Korea, indoor PM2.5 levels exceeded outdoor levels for over half the year. In 2022, South Korea saw indoor levels surpass outdoor levels for six months, while Japan experienced this for eight months, and China throughout the entire year.
On an annual average, South Korea’s indoor PM2.5 concentration was 18.17 µg/m³, approximately 5% higher than the outdoor level of 17.24 µg/m³.
The study also revealed that the annual average indoor PM2.5 levels in all surveyed countries exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) long-term exposure guideline of 5 µg/m³.
India topped the list with levels exceeding the standard by 11 times, followed by China with six times, and Turkey and the UAE with four times. South Korea, Romania, Mexico, and Italy exceeded the guideline by three times.
The cities with the highest annual average indoor PM2.5 levels were Delhi (India), Beijing (China), Shanghai (China), Shenzhen (China), and Busan (South Korea), all located in Asia. All surveyed cities exceeded WHO’s long-term exposure guideline.
Even Sydney, Australia, which had the lowest indoor pollution levels among the cities studied, recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 6.73 µg/m³, still above the WHO standard. Delhi and Beijing exceeded the guideline by more than 14 and six times, respectively.
To ensure the reliability of the study, Dyson collected data only in ‘monitoring mode’ when air purifiers were less active and excluded any anomalies significantly different from the regional air quality trends. The company also emphasized that no personal information was used in the research.
Hugh Montgomery, the chair of Dyson’s Scientific Advisory Board and a professor of intensive care medicine at University College London, highlighted the importance of the study, noting, “We all think of air pollution as being an outdoor or roadside problem. Indoor air pollution research is growing, but continues to be underdeveloped. These findings give us a valuable insight into the real pollution levels in homes across the world, helping us to understand the patterns of pollution daily, monthly and seasonally.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
