The 7-meter-tall smog-free tower extracts pollutants to keep the air clean. (Image Credit: Studio Roosegarde)
Air pollution has devastating effects on both humans and the environment. Short-term exposure may lead to discomfort and illness. Meanwhile, National Geographic says long-term exposure can lead to birth defects, diseases, organ damage, and death. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution kills approximately seven million people worldwide. Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to health issues. To help combat air pollution, Daan Roosegaarde’s studio developed Smog Free Towers, a 7-meter tall aluminum tower that aims to keep the air as clean as possible. So far, these have been deployed in Rotterdam, Poland, South Korea, China, and Mexico.
These towers are deployed in localized areas, including parks, to cleanse the air. (Image Credit: Studio Roosegarde)
By using positive ionization technology, the towers extract pollution from the air and reduce the concentration of larger smog particles by up to 45% within 70 feet. Afterward, the tower releases clean air into parks and playgrounds. It only consumes 1170 watts of clean energy and cleans 30,000 m3 per hour. The company also used to sell Smog Free Rings, a souvenir made of air pollution collected from the tower that helped fund additional towers. These towers are meant to be used for localized air purification.
The rings are created by pressurizing the collected carbon for thirty minutes. (Image Credit: Studio Roosegarde)
However, land requirements, costs, and maintenance prevent these towers from being used for city-wide smog extraction. So they’re ideal for small-scale removal. According to a statement by air pollution expert Hongliang Zhang, “lowering emissions is the only way to control pollution.”
Studio Roosegaarde aims to “improve daily life in urban environments, spark the imagination, and fight the climate crisis.” The studio also developed Waterlicht, a smart highway, spark, and other projects.
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