Is air pollution just a winter issue? These myths put your health at risk

From masks and plants to Diwali and ACs, pulmonologists break down the myths standing in the way of clean air and better health

Air pollution is no longer just something you see. It’s something you breathe, even when you think you’re safe. If you have ever wondered whether your indoor air is cleaner than the grey outside, or whether wearing a mask or running your AC is enough, this one’s for you.

 

In this week’s Fact-check Friday, we spoke to Dr Sourabh Pahuja, Senior Consultant in Pulmonary Medicine at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, and Dr Abha Mahashur, Chest Specialist at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, to help separate fact from fiction.

Is air pollution only an outdoor problem?

Myth: You are safe from pollution as long as you’re indoors.

Fact: Not true. Indoor air is often more polluted due to smoke from cooking, incense, mosquito coils, cleaning sprays, and poor ventilation. “Even with windows shut, fine particles and toxic gases accumulate inside homes and offices,” says Dr Mahashur.

Does air pollution only affect the lungs?

Myth: Pollution harms only breathing and respiratory health.

Fact: Pollutants like PM2.5 penetrate deep into your bloodstream and affect your heart, brain, nervous system, kidneys, immunity, and even unborn children. “Air pollution accelerates heart attacks, strokes, dementia, diabetes, you name it,” confirms Dr Pahuja.

Will any mask protect you from pollution?

Myth: Cloth or surgical masks can filter polluted air.

Fact: Only N95 or FFP2 masks work against PM2.5. The rest don’t fully block pollutants. “Mask fit and replacement matter as much as the filter,” adds Dr Mahashur. 

Does clean-looking air mean clean air?

Myth: If the sky looks clear, the air is fine.

Fact: Many deadly pollutants are invisible. PM2.5, ozone, and nitrogen oxides don’t show up as smog. “Only an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading can tell you the truth,” stresses Dr Pahuja.

Are children and the elderly the only ones at risk?

Myth: Only sensitive groups like kids or the elderly need to worry.

 

Fact: Everyone suffers — athletes, young professionals, outdoor workers, people with no history of illness. Long-term exposure quietly raises the risk of lung damage and heart disease in all age groups.

Is air pollution just a winter problem?

Myth: Smog only happens in winter.

Fact: While winter traps pollutants, pollution doesn’t disappear in summer. Traffic, construction, industry, and power plants are on all year. “It’s not a season, it’s a lifestyle killer,” says Dr Pahuja.

Do only big cities or industrial towns have bad air?

Myth: Pollution is an urban, industrial issue.

Fact: Rural homes deal with harmful indoor smoke from biomass stoves, diesel generators, and agricultural burning. “Dust and fumes travel far. Air pollution is a regional problem,” warns Dr Mahashur.

Is stubble burning the main reason for pollution?

Myth: Farmers are the main cause of India’s dirty air.

Fact: Stubble burning spikes post-monsoon smog, especially in North India. But every day, emissions from vehicles, factories, waste burning, and dust make up the majority of year-round pollution.

Is Diwali the main reason for the toxic air in November?

Myth: Firecrackers are solely responsible for post-Diwali smog.

Fact: Crackers make headlines, but the air is already toxic. “Diwali just adds a few days of acute trauma to chronic pollution,” says Dr Pahuja.

Are you fully protected from pollution indoors?

Myth: Staying inside keeps pollution away.

Fact: Outdoor pollutants enter homes easily. Add indoor cooking fumes and incense smoke, and you’re probably inhaling more than you realise. Ventilation plus filtration is the way forward, not staying sealed in.

Are trees enough to clean polluted air?

Myth: Trees alone can fix our air crisis.

Fact: Trees help, but they can’t neutralise years of unregulated emissions. “Afforestation is essential, but not enough,” reminds Dr Mahashur.

Are air purifiers just gimmicks?

Myth: You’re wasting money buying a purifier.

Fact: A good high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter purifier significantly reduces PM2.5 indoors. “They can be protective for those at risk, like pregnant women, elders, asthma patients,” says Dr Pahuja.

Do air purifiers make your indoor air 100 per cent clean?

Myth: Purifiers create fresh mountain air at home.

Fact: Purifiers reduce particulate matter, but can’t eliminate all gases or chemicals. They support lung health but don’t replace pollution control.

Can indoor plants purify the air effectively?

Myth: A few money plants will fix your air.

Fact: You’d need hundreds of plants in a single room for a minor change. “Plants help your mood, not your PM levels,” says Dr Mahashur.

Will air conditioning clean your air too?

Myth: ACs eliminate the need for purifiers.

Fact: Most ACs only cool air; they don’t filter out fine particles unless you install HEPA modules.

Does rain fix air pollution?

Myth: Monsoon or showers clean the air.

Fact: Rain temporarily clears dust, but once it’s over, pollutants bounce back. “Rain provides relief, not a solution,” both experts agree.

 

The doctors stress that air pollution is a full-body threat, whether you are indoors or outdoors, in a village or a city, in winter or summer. And the solutions aren’t band-aid fixes like waiting for rain or burning incense.

 

As Dr Pahuja concludes, “We can’t escape the air we breathe, but we can fight for cleaner air, better policies, and smarter homes.”

About Fact-Check Friday

 

Misinformation in health can be more harmful than the illness itself. That’s why every Friday, Business Standard brings you Fact-Check Friday, a weekly series where we unpack myths, wellness trends, and separate evidence-based medical insights from popular misconceptions.

 

From ageing and mental health to fitness, diets, and everyday remedies, our fact-checks are guided by doctors, researchers, and public health experts, so you can make informed choices for your well-being.

Explore more fact checks here:

• Organ donation myths and facts
• 15 myths about ageing
• Hair loss myths
• Juice fasting myths
• Skin myths fact-check
• Mental health myths
• Diabetes myths
• Weight loss myths
• Instagram fitness trends: fact vs hype
• Motherhood myths in India

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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.