When there is ambient smoke you must look at ways to protect your health. Wood smoke is primarily made up of particulates, chemical vapours, and gases. Chemical vapours and gases can come from the wood burning process or for example from chemicals applied to the ground.
NOTE: The P2 3M-8210 or 3M-8110s 'pandemic' filters being handed out from the Government National Medical stockpile (for influenza) do not have a carbon filter. They are not for use on the fire ground or where bushfire smoke contains the usual chemical vapours or gases. NOTE - Where there is a hazard of both gas/vapours and particulates, both types of filters must be used.
3M 9923V respirator or the 3M 6075 A1 Form for bushfire smoke
Where ever you are in the world you need clean air to breathe. When you can't breathe nothing else matters.
P2 or N95 Particulate filters on their own will not remove gases, chemicals or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). And, Activated-carbon filters on their own will not remove fine particulates. This is why the respirator you use for bushfire smoke should have both a carbon filter for the gases and a P2 filter for the particulates. 3M recommends their 9923V model for bushfire smoke.
Disclaimer: People reading health related information on cleanairtas.com should work out what is best for them and act accordingly.
BEWARE:Not all P2 respirators are the same! Not all masks are suitable for smoke & Not all masks give protection against viruses
Cleanairtas acknowledges the Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita (Tasmania) and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
RESPIRATOR MASK STANDARDS N95 (United States NIOSH-42CFR84), FFP2 (Europe EN 149-2001), KN95 (China GB2626-2006), P2 (Australia/New Zealand AS/NZA 1716:2012), Korea 1st class (Korea KMOEL - 2017-64) DS2 (Japan JMHLW-Notification 214, 2018), PFF2 (ABNT/NBR 13.698-2011 - Brazil)
What's in Smoke This is what you breathe. It goes into your lungs, crosses over into your blood stream and travels to every organ in your body. Particulate matter is a Group 1 (the highest) carcinogen, just the same as asbestos, arsenic, formaldehyde, and mustard gas to name a few other nasties. ‘Every single disease that is non-communicable is impacted by air pollution. It is not only involved in worsening diseases but in causing them, and new diseases, that wouldn’t otherwise occur are happening because of air pollution.’ - Sir Stephen Holgate, Professor of Immunopharmacology and a respiratory physician
email: cleanair@cleanairtas.com
Tasmania puts forestry before health
STOP BURNING STUFF! "Every single disease that is non-communicable is impacted by air pollution. It is not only involved in worsening diseases but in causing them, and new diseases that would not otherwise occur are happening because of air pollution" - Sir Stephen Holgate, National Clean Air Conference Nov. 20/21
"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." - Martin Luther King, Jr.