U.S. company Boral Roofing has introduced a line of roof tiles that it says have pollution-busting properties.
Smog-eating tiles —
U.S. company Boral Roofing has introduced a line of roof tiles that it says have pollution-busting properties.
Courtesy of Boral Roofing
The company says chemicals in its smog-eating tiles react with nitrogen oxides released by vehicles, extracting them from the air and cleaning up the atmosphere, as this cartoon shows.
Cleaning up the air —
The company says chemicals in its smog-eating tiles react with nitrogen oxides released by vehicles, extracting them from the air and cleaning up the atmosphere, as this cartoon shows.
Courtesy of Boral Roofing
The tiles are coated with titanium dioxide, a photocatalyst, activated by daylight, which reacts with nitrogen oxides in the air turning them into harmless calcium nitrates, as this cartoon shows.
Harmful to helpful —
The tiles are coated with titanium dioxide, a photocatalyst, activated by daylight, which reacts with nitrogen oxides in the air turning them into harmless calcium nitrates, as this cartoon shows.
Courtesy of Boral Roofing
When it rains the calcium nitrate -- a regular garden fertilizer -- is washes off the roof, as this cartoon shows.
Garden fertilizer —
When it rains the calcium nitrate -- a regular garden fertilizer -- is washes off the roof, as this cartoon shows.
Courtesy of Boral Roofing
Los Angeles has the highest levels of ozone pollution of any U.S. city, according to 2012 rankings by the American Lung Association. Exposure to urban air pollutants can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer as well as trigger asthma attack, according to the World Health Organisation.
Smog city —
Los Angeles has the highest levels of ozone pollution of any U.S. city, according to 2012 rankings by the American Lung Association. Exposure to urban air pollutants can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer as well as trigger asthma attack, according to the World Health Organisation.
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
The downtown skyline of Los Angeles is enveloped in smog shortly before sunset. Ozone is a major component of smog.
Smoggy sunset —
The downtown skyline of Los Angeles is enveloped in smog shortly before sunset. Ozone is a major component of smog.
Getty Images
Los Angeles' high levels of ozone pollution and smog come from heavy road traffic and very busy trade ports. The American Lung Association says that cities need to concentrate on solving air pollution at source.
Gridlocked —
Los Angeles' high levels of ozone pollution and smog come from heavy road traffic and very busy trade ports. The American Lung Association says that cities need to concentrate on solving air pollution at source.