LONG BEACH, CA—India is home to at least 20 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, with more than 40 percent of its population regularly breathing air containing five times the pollution deemed safe for humans, according to IQAir and Financial Times. As in so many other regions, rapid industrialization in India has come with a toxic price to its air, water and natural resources.
The Indian government has fought against this trend for decades, but coal burning, vehicles, biomass burning, road dust and other ongoing pollution sources have made conventional abatement efforts an uphill battle. After years of studying India’s predicament and learning how the company could help fight it, Ship & Shore Environmental Inc (S&SE), a multinational environmental pollution abatement and energy solutions firm, has now launched its presence in India.
Need for Clean Air
Faced with more than 2 million deaths annually from air pollution-related causes, India in 2019 rolled out its National Clean Air Programme, which states a national goal of reducing PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulate concentrations by 2024. The mandate applies to more than 100 Indian cities. This is a tall order and the country has implemented a wide range of remediation tactics in different areas, including new electric vehicle mandates, increasing renewable energy production and mounting public air pollution education campaigns. As air quality index readings continue to show, though, India needs much more help.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated India’s health problems. The country has suffered more than 8 million COVID cases and 124,000 related deaths as the links between air pollution and COVID-related mortality have become known. One recent US study found that long-term air pollution exposure was “associated with a 15 percent increase in the COVID-19 death rate.” One article in the Hindustan Times recently noted that “high levels of PM2.5 in Delhi may lead to a higher number of COVID-19 cases.”
Solutions at Full Force
Over the past two years, S&SE has been aggressive in expanding well beyond its US home and bringing its services to Asia. For example, in 2019, the company opened Ship & Shore China in Shanghai, then quickly moved into Bangkok, Thailand. Even in regions where S&SE has no formalized presence, the company often consults with government agencies and private corporations in need of advancing their pollution abatement strategies. India has long been on S&SE’s mind as a prime location for environmental assistance, and at last the groundwork is complete.
In addition to working with India on a large scale, S&SE has also cultivated local partners to help with deploying services and solutions in local markets. This will help with tailoring offerings to fit area-specific environmental regulations. S&SE is entering India full force with a complete team for sales, marketing, business development, and expert engineering specifically for the Indian market.
“After successfully launching Thailand operations and our Ship & Shore China division, we looked where else we could offer our energy-efficient clean air solutions,” said S&SE President and CEO Anoosheh Oskouian. “Many areas around the world are in need, but India stood out as an exceptional opportunity, both in need and in our ability to make the greatest positive impact.”
SS&E has been manufacturing air pollution abatement systems based on the dynamic stringent air quality regulations in the US for two decades, along with close involvement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The company’s technical involvement and expertise in air quality rules, regulations and processes around the world make Ship & Shore one of the best-qualified and proven sources for counsel and solutions on air pollution control and capture.