• Indoor air pollution from firewood cooking, kerosene stoves, garden waste burning blamed 

Air pollution is responsible for around 7,000 premature deaths in Sri Lanka each year, while pollution inside homes can be up to five times higher than outdoor air pollution, the Health Ministry's Environmental and Occupational Health Unit has warned.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Director of the Unit, Dr Chandani Vithana said that air pollution remained a major public health concern both globally and locally, causing an estimated seven to eight million premature deaths worldwide every year. She said that harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, together with cancer-causing chemicals and fine particulate matter, are among the main pollutants affecting people's health.

"These fine particles can travel deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream," she said. "As a result, they increase the risk of asthma, chronic lung disease, lung cancer, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes."

Dr Vithana said that vehicle emissions are the leading source of outdoor air pollution in Sri Lanka, while industrial emissions and the open burning of waste also contribute significantly to deteriorating air quality. She noted that the greater use of electric and hybrid vehicles could help reduce pollution levels.

She warned however that indoor air pollution posed an even greater threat, with pollution levels inside homes reaching up to five times those recorded outdoors. According to Dr Vithana, many Sri Lankan households still rely on firewood for cooking, with smoke becoming trapped inside poorly ventilated kitchens that often lack chimneys, smoke vents or adequate windows.

She said that this prolonged exposure to smoke is contributing to a sharp rise in lung cancer among women in Sri Lanka. "In the past, lung cancer was seen mainly among men who smoked cigarettes. Now, we are seeing a significant increase among women, partly because many spend long periods cooking in enclosed kitchens where smoke accumulates," she said.

Dr Vithana also cautioned against the use of kerosene stoves in enclosed spaces, saying that they released harmful gases, including carcinogenic aromatic hydrocarbons, which could pose serious health risks. She urged the public to improve ventilation in kitchens, avoid burning waste in home gardens and reduce exposure to air pollution wherever possible to help lower the burden of pollution-related diseases.