New Delhi: “Yesterday, out of curiosity, I took out a filter from my air purifier, to see the amount of dust it has gathered over a period of almost one month. The thick layer of dust swept me off my feet. Reason being, I live in a studio apartment which is packed from everywhere. I don’t even have a balcony in my house. Apart from one window each in kitchen and bathroom, there is hardly any scope of dust and pollution making its way in my house. I wonder how smaller particles made their way in”, says 25-year-old Aishwarya. Aishwarya is not the only one struggling with the severe levels of air quality, both indoor and outdoor.
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According to a report by the World Health Organisation, 4.3 million people worldwide die due to poor air quality prevailing inside the house. Though air purifiers, anti-pollution masks, and air purifying plants are often being recommended by doctors, usually people find it expensive. To combat the problem of air pollution, Nasofilters, an IIT Delhi incubated startup, has come up with a feasible and cost effective solution – ‘pollution net’ that filters dust and particulate matter from 2.5 to 10.
Talking about the same, Prateek Sharma, Director at Nasofilters says,
Nasofilters pollution net is basically a net made using nano fibers (fibers with diameters in the nanometer range) based filter material, which a person can put on his doors and windows to prevent pollutants from entering the premises. Earlier we used to have mosquito net for windows to avoid bugs and flies from entering the house. Similar to that, we have launched this ‘pollution net’.
Nasofilters ‘pollution net’ restricts particulate matter from 2.5 to 10 from entering the house
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The pollution net has three kinds of membranes. The first and outer layer is called hydrophobic which provides resistance to water. The second membrane gives the entire structure the strength to hold itself for a longer period of time. Sandwiched between these two layers is the nano fiber mesh that does the filtering.
In this mesh we have increased pore density by so much that the pore size of this mesh has reduced down to the pore size of PM 2.5, explains Prateek.
The pollution net that comes in different measurements for different window sizes is easy to install and clean. An individual can fit the pollution net on their window frame either using a Velcro or get the net fitted in the window frame. The pollution net that needs regular maintenance and cleaning generally lasts for five years.
Installing and maintaining the net is no rocket science. You can fit the pollution net using nails and hammer also. As far as cleaning is concerned, you can clean it using a damp cloth or water, says Prateek.
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The nasofilters pollution net costing Rs. 160 per square feet can be purchased from the official website of Nasofilters.
Launched on the occasion of ‘World Pollution Prevention Day’ on December 2 this year, the pollution net has already reached over 100 households. The team is being contacted by numerous vendors, architects, and window makers for bulk orders.
This is not the first time the team has come up with something like this. Last year, the startup introduced ‘Nasofilter’, a Rs.10 air purifying filter that fits into your nose and guarantees filtering out PM 2.5 and PM 10. The pollution net is an extension to nasofilters to combat air pollution.
Also Read: ‘Pollution’s Dangers Can Be Passed On To Next Generation’, Finds A Study
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign lends support to the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). Helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, the campaign aims to spread awareness about hygiene and sanitation, the importance of building toilets and making India open defecation free (ODF) by October 2019, a target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Over the years, the campaign has widened its scope to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and menstrual hygiene. The campaign has also focused extensively on marine pollution, clean Ganga Project and rejuvenation of Yamuna, two of India’s major river bodies.
