Bali Air Pollution and Your Kids A note to any parents considering Bali: Dioxin. (Google it.) The airborne chemical created when you burn plastic, is 50,000 times more toxic than the second most toxic airborne chemical. And Bali's air is full of dioxin, as the culture is one that sees burning as a positive (Hindu, cremation, leaves etc). I don't blame the Balinese, they don't know. But, no matter where you live in Bali, your neighbors will be burning trash, and in that trash will be plastic, and from that burn you will ingest dioxin. Continue this for many months/years, and you've got a body full of toxin that is stored in your fatty tissues. This reason alone, (there are many others) is why we're leaving/left Bali. The air here is toxic. Add in unregulated road exhaust (scooters, heavy trucks etc) and it makes for sick kids (ours ended up in the hospital twice on a breathing device due to bad road air.) Driving in a car doesn't improve things. Staying inside doesn't improve things. Unless you're vacuum sealed, you'll breath bad air. (Indoor air is actually worse, as chemicals get trapped in dwellings, and the car vs scooter, while the windscreen does help keep the kid from getting pounded in the face by exhaust, it's far from a solution.) My advice, highly consider the air borne pollution (not to mention every beach is full of trash, from Kuta to Lovina, first hand experience, and every river too, all the way to the source, google Badung River Bali Trash) before committing to Bali. We're thankful we can leave. All the best. - AB in Bali (for seven more days) Singapore and Santa Barbara, California. andrewbaker77dotcom
Very interesting read; thanks for that information. Balinese children are suffering with acute asthma from the burning of plastic.
Yes, it is very worrying and I can understand your concerns. But if you consider all of the potential risks of living anywhere on this planet, I am sure you are going to struggle to find anywhere that is safe from all health and environment problems. Just as an example I Googled "Santa Barbara pollution" and found this article: [url=http://www.independent.com/news/2011/jul/24/mercury-pollution-hurts-everywhere/]Mercury Pollution Hurts Everywhere The Santa Barbara Independent[/url]
Yes, it is very worrying and I can understand your concerns. But if you consider all of the potential risks of living anywhere on this planet, I am sure you are going to struggle to find anywhere that is safe from all health and environment problems. Just as an example I Googled "Santa Barbara pollution" and found this article: [url=http://www.independent.com/news/2011/jul/24/mercury-pollution-hurts-everywhere/]Mercury Pollution Hurts Everywhere The Santa Barbara Independent[/url][/QUOTE]Regarding your article about mercury in most humans, as well, most people have trace amounts of Dioxin, and phama drugs and probably a bunch of other stuff. But, it's one thing to have trace amounts of mercury, dioxin, pharma drugs etc, as today it is just part of being alive, it's quite another to willingly subject yourself to daily ingestion of airborne dioxin, especially when there are just so many other cool places in the world to live where this is not a necessity in daily life. It's all about priorities. There is a lot I like about Bali, and for anak-anak, it's a magical place, as the kids see the spirit world much better than the adults, but for us, a healthy environment is at the top of the priority list, and bad air + bad ocean + bad rivers + bad food stocks (fish with massive dioxin levels in their flesh, free range chickens are free ranging it in illegal dumping sites as they feed off the sludge for cost savings) all equates to a realization that the cost here is too high. There are many amazing places to live, and we've been lucky enough to live in a few of them already (California, Caribbean, Pula Redang, Langkawi, Perhentians, Singapore) and excited to try many more spots. It's not about expecting perfection. It's about pursing adventure. -AB
Yes, it is very worrying and I can understand your concerns. But if you consider all of the potential risks of living anywhere on this planet, I am sure you are going to struggle to find anywhere that is safe from all health and environment problems. Just as an example I Googled "Santa Barbara pollution" and found this article: [url=http://www.independent.com/news/2011/jul/24/mercury-pollution-hurts-everywhere/]Mercury Pollution Hurts Everywhere The Santa Barbara Independent[/url][/QUOTE]PS: Spicy, this isn't about trying to find something wrong with every place in the world, as you've already demonstrated, that's pretty easy to accomplish. This is posted for people (especially parents) who are thinking about coming to Bali.
We're moving to Bali and pollution is a concern. But if you look at the table on page 8 of this link you'll see that Bali-origin tuna has mercury concentrations much lower than fish originating in the US. This is not to say that Bali doesn't have serious health issues, but information on dioxins is still quite incomplete and there certainly is little reason to be packing your suitcases and fleeing. While the EPA says it is a likely cause of cancer, other studies have shown otherwise. For example, according to Wikipedia, "Among fishermen with high dioxin concentrations in their bodies, cancer deaths were decreased rather than increased.[25]"[url]http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/o/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/mercury/Hold_the_Mercury/Hold_the_Mercury_Final.pdf[/url]
We're moving to Bali and pollution is a concern. But if you look at the table on page 8 of this link you'll see that Bali-origin tuna has mercury concentrations much lower than fish originating in the US. This is not to say that Bali doesn't have serious health issues, but information on dioxins is still quite incomplete and there certainly is little reason to be packing your suitcases and fleeing. While the EPA says it is a likely cause of cancer, other studies have shown otherwise. For example, according to Wikipedia, "Among fishermen with high dioxin concentrations in their bodies, cancer deaths were decreased rather than increased.[25]"[url]http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/o/fileadmin/oceana/uploads/mercury/Hold_the_Mercury/Hold_the_Mercury_Final.pdf[/url][/QUOTE]"Dioxin is good for you." That's hilarious. Yes, you are correct. Dioxin, the world's most toxic airborne chemical, 10,000 more toxic than arsenic, is good for you. While you're at it, why not cite the smoking industry's claims that cigarettes aren't bad for you. I posted this information for those who want to know, not for those who know it all even before they arrive. For those who do care, hope this helps. - AB
I was citing the science on dioxins. There are risks but as I have shown some of those risks are greater in industrialized countries like the US rather than places like Bali. And WHO states that the risks are uncertain, humans have always been exposed to dioxins because there are natural sources, and that there is a level of contamination in which the risk of cancer is negligible.You can take this information as it is, or you can lurch into hysteria and accuse others of bad faith. Your choice.
Dude, anyone who attempts to argue the health benefits of dioxin deserves to be mocked. You go ahead and believe whatever you want to believe and make a bbq tonight with your plastic trash bags. For those who are interested in the facts, goggle: Dioxin health effects. It's something to consider before moving here, and a good guide in picking a house. Live in Kuta, Seminyak, and it's quite unlikely your neighbors will burn trash every day. Live in rural Bali, and it's very likely you'll ingest Dioxin on a regular basis. Perspective. That's my goal with this post. Apologies for those who are blinded by their ego. -AB
andrewbaker77...I heard propertyprices in Chernobyl are low...no dioxine there.beatifull nature there and no exhaust polution (like in Kuta, seminyak)my point, like you said yourself, it's easy to find something wrong with any place on this earth.perspective....
Oh yeah, you're the one who finds local girls riding their bikes down the street wrong, and in your way. How dare they! Next time you want to curse them for being in your expat way, perhaps you should tell them also to move to Chernobyle.
Again, I posted this for people who want perspective on air pollution in Bali, not for people who want to fill the air with their own egotistical pollution. If you're offended, fine, but no need to sit here and rant at someone who is simply telling their perspective from living here.
hahaha. did I touch a nerve ??? or did I just give you a little perspective...take it as you dish it out AB.living here for how long?? a year? man I wonder if you even got out of your walled villa and got a 'taste' of Bali..ehm you might want to get your facts straight too..
hahaha. did I touch a nerve ??? or did I just give you a little perspective...take it as you dish it out AB.living here for how long?? a year? man I wonder if you even got out of your walled villa and got a 'taste' of Bali.."even got out of the walled villa" In the past year on my speda/bicycle + I've pedaled almost the entire island. Up from South Bali to the tops of the gunungs, across to the other side, around, and up the West coast. Highways, lanes, backroads, trails, rice paddies, people's driveways by accident, you name it, I rode it. (except the National Park) Saw a ton of Bali most never experience. All 100% friendly faces and tremendous "come to my home!" hospitality, usually at 50kph as the scooter driver slowly passed me on the bicycle. So enchanted, I wrote and produced a film about Bali, as I just love the Balinese, and felt they deserved a film that captures their magical souls. So, yes, rode (almost) the entire island and produced a film about Bali, I'd say I ventured well past the wall of the villa so to speak. You? Judging from your post total and pasty pale face and get off my road attitude, I'm guessing you're the one trapped inside the walls. Have a nice day. - AB
hahaha...now who's ranting?I wrote 4 short lines, just like yourself to give some perspective..went down the wrong way I guess, well it's obvious it did.like I said, get your facts straight...in more ways then one.Have a nice life..wherever you choose to spend it.
Oh yeah, you're the one who finds local girls riding their bikes down the street wrong, and in your way. How dare they! Next time you want to curse them for being in your expat way, perhaps you should tell them also to move to Chernobyle.[/QUOTE]Actually that was me Mr sensitive :icon_wink:
@BKT...thanks.Ofcourse I knew it was you :tongue:but don't like to drag someone (this case you) into a discussion that is actually too weird for words :icon_wink:but thanks again for at least setting that straight, LOL.
I find it extremely hard to believe it was really necessary for BOTH of your children to end up in the hospital on breathing machines from this dioxin while the rest of Bali seems to be getting along just fine. I'm not saying the air is clean but I doubt it's as bad as you make it out to be.....yet.Also so far no one has said that dioxin is good, those your own words. That other poster said that results are so far inconclusive.
Bali Air Pollution and Your Kids A note to any parents considering Bali: Dioxin. (Google it.) The airborne chemical created when you burn plastic, is 50,000 times more toxic than the second most toxic airborne chemical. And Bali's air is full of dioxin, as the culture is one that sees burning as a positive (Hindu, cremation, leaves etc). I don't blame the Balinese, they don't know. But, no matter where you live in Bali, your neighbors will be burning trash, and in that trash will be plastic, and from that burn you will ingest dioxin. Continue this for many months/years, and you've got a body full of toxin that is stored in your fatty tissues. This reason alone, (there are many others) is why we're leaving/left Bali. The air here is toxic. Add in unregulated road exhaust (scooters, heavy trucks etc) and it makes for sick kids (ours ended up in the hospital twice on a breathing device due to bad road air.) Driving in a car doesn't improve things. Staying inside doesn't improve things. Unless you're vacuum sealed, you'll breath bad air. (Indoor air is actually worse, as chemicals get trapped in dwellings, and the car vs scooter, while the windscreen does help keep the kid from getting pounded in the face by exhaust, it's far from a solution.) My advice, highly consider the air borne pollution (not to mention every beach is full of trash, from Kuta to Lovina, first hand experience, and every river too, all the way to the source, google Badung River Bali Trash) before committing to Bali. We're thankful we can leave. All the best. - AB in Bali (for seven more days) Singapore and Santa Barbara, California. andrewbaker77dotcom[/QUOTE]Thank you very much for the heads-up. I only find ONE solution to this difficult problem: STOP BREATHING!!!