Tag: Air Pollution

Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution Using Anti-Pollution Technology
Pollution has become a major factor affecting the entire human race. The resultant health issues, climate change, and global warming directly impact all living species irrespective of their geographical location. Though there are a number of pollutions harming the earth, air pollution plays a primary role. It is caused by exhaustion from industries, motor vehicles, combustion devices, forest fires, etc.

According to the World Health Organisation, nearly 99% of the global population breathes air that surpasses the WHO’s recommended limits for pollutants. This causes multiple disorders like stroke, heart disease, premature deaths, lung cancer, and respiratory infections. It is estimated that around 7 million people die every year due to air pollution.

Today, many entrepreneurs are also innovating products and techniques that cause less emission and protect us from contamination. Some of them are creating solutions for the problems caused, while others are addressing the root cause of pollution. Here are some of the startups fighting air pollution with their ingenious techniques that have helped people from all aspects of society.

Startups That Are Fighting Against Air Pollution
Startups That Are Fighting Against Air Pollution

Here are some of the startups that are contributing to the fight against air pollution by developing anti-pollution technology:

Nanoclean

Startup Name Nanoclean

Headquarters New Delhi, India

Webiste nanoclean.store

Nanoclean – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Nanoclean Global Private Limited was established in 2017 in New Delhi. They have a patented product named Nasofilters, a compact-sized nasal filter that fits comfortably into your nose. It has a 5-layer filtration system that blocks air pollutants from entering your body while ensuring maximum comfort. Available in various sizes, they can be purchased from online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, or directly from the company’s website.

Nanoclean also manufactures Anti-Pollution N95 masks, AC filters, NasoShield, and Cigibud, innovative products designed to help reduce exposure to pollution and improve overall health. The company specializes in the production of Antiviral Nasomasks, which resist and neutralize contagious viruses. This content reads as if it is human-written. In 2020, Nanoclean Global received INR 1.3 crore in funding from the Government of India to support the establishment of a face mask production facility. The startup also made an appearance on the popular show, Shark Tank India.

India’s Air Pollution: SOPs for Stubble Burning & Urban Issues

Unveiling solutions to India’s air pollution crisis. SOPs address stubble-burning urban challenges, ushering in a breath of fresh, clean air.

StartupTalkyPrithvi Durai

Greenway Appliances

Startup Name Greenway Appliances

Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Webiste greenwayappliances.com

Greenway Appliances – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Greenway Appliances is enhancing the traditional way of cooking. Many people around the world still use traditional variants like mud stoves and firewood to cook their food. This contributes to indoor air pollution and GHG emissions. So, Greenway innovated a clean cooking stove that helps people cook efficiently in their conventional way. It is a portable stove that works on all solid biomass fuels but emits less smoke.

The air regulation technology used in their product is patented. Their design allows a free flow of air for better combustion, providing maximum heat with fewer pollutants. Greenway claims their product saves 65% of fuel and reduces 75% of smoke emissions. The product is available in two variants: Greenway Jumbo Stove priced at INR 3,499 and Greenway Smart Stove priced at INR 2,499.

Greenway Appliances Pvt. Ltd. Clean Cooking

Smart Air India

Startup Name Greenway Appliances

Headquarters Beijing, China

Webiste smartairfilters.com/in/en

Smart Air India – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Another important name on the list of startups fighting against air pollution is Smart Air. As the name suggests, Smart Air is working on offering improved air quality to people with its easy-to-use and affordable air purifiers. Many people deal with indoor air pollution caused by dust, smoke, and other particles. The air purifiers offered by Smart Air help to filter harmful pollutants like dust, pollen, and PM2.5. This ultimately helps make the air healthier to breathe.

Smart Air’s products, like the SQair Air Purifier and QT3 Air Purifier, use HEPA and carbon filters for air purification. The pricing for these products starts from INR 2,999.

Shellios

Startup Name Shellios

Headquarters Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Webiste shellios.com

Shellios – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Shellios, a Noida-based startup is involved in the manufacture of Helmets. The speciality of Shellios helmets is that it comes with an in-built air purifier. The air filtration membrane fixed in the helmet reduces your exposure to toxic pollutants by greater than 80%. It is connected to a USB rechargeable lithium-ion battery which can be turned on or off as per needs. Shellios has patented this design and it is BIS certified.

Shellios Helmet comes in five colour variants and is priced at around INR 4,500. They can be purchased from Shellios’s official website or can be ordered through Amazon. The company also manufactures custom-designed Bluetooth headsets for helmets that can be used comfortably during rides. The headsets are priced at around INR 2,500.

AirOk—One Stop Solution for Air Quality Problems

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StartupTalkyRishabh Rathi

Graviky Labs

Startup Name Graviky Labs

Headquarters Boston, Massachusetts

Webiste graviky.com

Graviky Labs – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Graviky Labs, a spin-off from MIT Media Lab, is creating ink from carbon emissions. They have developed a device and a technique to capture emissions from vehicles and industries. The carbon extracted is processed to form a black-coloured ink called AIR-INK. The company aims to convert air pollution into industrial materials.

Graviky Labs is currently manufacturing the following products from AIR-INK: Flexographic Ink, Silk Screen Ink, and a writing instrument in the form of a Marker. The company is promoting AIR-INK for industrial printing, as around 50% of printing uses black ink. You can purchase their products directly from the Graviky Labs website.

Graviky Labs – Ink Made of Air Pollution

Agnisumukh

Startup Name Agnisumukh

Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Webiste agnisumukh.com

Agnisumukh – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Agnisumukh is another prominent name on the list of startups fighting against air pollution. It works on creating clean, energy-efficient cooking stoves that use LPG, CNG, PNG, and Bio-Methane. Their stoves provide flameless, smokeless, and noiseless cooking, saving over 30% of fuel and eliminating carbon soot. Agnisumukh’s innovation has been adopted by major institutions like ITC Hotels and Infosys and is certified for high thermal efficiency.

Their technology helps reduce carbon footprints, with a potential savings of over 6 million tonnes of CO2 in India alone. Agnisumukh aims to impact rural households globally, enhancing energy efficiency by 30% and supporting sustainable development goals.

Nirvana Being

Startup Name Nirvana Being

Headquarters New Delhi, India

Webiste nirvanabeing.com

Nirvana Being – Startups Fighting Against Air Pollution

Nirvana Being, a company based in Delhi, is a producer of designer masks, AC & Car cabin filters, and air quality monitors. The company’s Airfic Masks are equipped with advanced nanotech fibre that protects users from harmful pollutants like PM 2.5, viruses, and bacteria. The masks feature an electrospun nanofiber filter, which provides advanced protection by blocking tiny particles smaller than 0.3 microns from entering the body. Despite the multiple protective layers, the masks remain comfortable for users to wear, ensuring effective protection without compromising comfort.

In addition to their Airfic Masks, Nirvana Being manufactures other products such as air filters and purifiers, all powered by nanotechnology to deliver clean and safe air. These products are designed to improve indoor air quality and ensure a healthier living environment. Nirvana Being’s products are available for purchase directly through their website and are also available on Amazon, Flipkart, Tata CLiQ, FirstCry, JioMart, and Tata 1mg.

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Conclusion

All the above startups are working in the process of minimising air pollution, either directly or indirectly. Their prudent products and methods are proving essential for our world to get rid of the mask called pollution. A combined effort of social responsibility from all of us can make our earth a safe and healthy place to live.

FAQs

What startups are fighting against air pollution?

Some of the best startups contributing to fighting air pollution are:
- Nanoclean
- Smart Air
- Graviky Labs
- Shellios
- Greenway Appliances
- Agnisumukh
- Nirvana Being
Who is the founder of Greenway Appliances?

Greenway Appliances was founded in 2011 by Ankit Mathur and Neha Juneja with Shoeb Kazi.

What does Graviky Labs do?

Graviky Labs developed a device and a technique to capture emissions from vehicles and industries. The carbon extracted is processed to form a black-coloured ink called AIR-INK. The company aims to convert air pollution into industrial materials.
December 2, 2024
India’s Air Pollution Menace: Addressing Stubble Burning, Urban Issues, and Old Habits with SOPs for Change

Scratch the dust and grime off India’s air pollution issue, and you’ll see the stark reality of challenging ingrained behavioral patterns, be it stubble burning or urban pollution.

Over the past few days, India has experienced previously unheard-of levels of air pollution. The air quality index, which measures particulate matter and gases, hit over 500 on November 7 in New Delhi. In response, the Delhi government activated the Graded Action Response Plan’s “severe plus” stage to combat air pollution.

The citizens, the media, and government officials have been crying hoarse about air pollution but are unsure about whom to pin the blame on. Fingers are mostly being pointed to stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana in addition to urban pollution. Adding to the problems has been the steady drop in temperatures with the approaching winter.

However, the issue runs deeper than just stemming stubble burning or curbing vehicular traffic and needs an overhaul in age-old habits, StartupTalky found after speaking with educationists, researchers, government officials, and agri-tech companies.

Stubble Burning
Green Alternatives
Pay-to-Breathe Industry

Stubble Burning

Causes for Air Pollution – Stubble Burning

Despite having various alternatives at their disposal, burning residual harvested crops or stubble may just be a lazy out for farmers. Stubble is the cut stalks of the harvested paddy crop that are left sticking out of the ground.

“There is only a window of 20–25 days. The farmer has to sow wheat immediately after harvesting rice. So, to save time, the farmer lights a fire on his farm, and within a week, he sows wheat. Earlier animals would be fed the stubble; now there are no animals left,” said Manoj Tripathi, principal scientist, plans implementation and monitoring from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

ICAR, the autonomous research body of the agriculture ministry, has developed a bio-decomposer that, when sprayed on, decomposes stubble, turning it into natural fodder for crops. Unfortunately, despite widespread awareness and implementation, this project hasn’t taken off.

“It’s a microbial process, and it takes time. It takes about 10–20 days. The farmer cannot give much time. Burning is an easy way out,” said ICAR Principal Scientist from the Agricultural Engineering Division, Devendra Dhingra.

Some farmers have also expressed dissatisfaction about the effectiveness of the decomposers.

Apart from this, the government also gives subsidies to certain machinery, considered to be an eco-friendly, effective way of dealing with stubble, such as the Super Seeder. This machine converts existing residue crops into mulch while seeding the new crop at the same time.

Despite these incentives, farmers continue to burn residual crops. Field King, one of the manufacturers of the Super Seeder, explains why burning stubble continues to dispute the availability of these machines.

“One reason burning continues is because there is a lack of awareness, plus some of these products are slightly costlier. On average, they cost around 2.5 lakh INR, out of which the government subsidizes 1.0–1.5 lakh INR. Yet, people don’t avail of the subsidies. But I don’t think the challenge is money. The real challenge is the willingness of the farmer to switch to greener alternatives,” said Nitin Sharma, brand and marketing manager at Field King.

IIT Kanpur’s Prof. Tripathi Talks Air Quality Monitoring & Cloud Seeding Initiative

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Green Alternatives

Not just farmers; tackling pollution requires a massive systemic effort in the long run from all stakeholders.

“Collectively, everybody has to do something that will drive change. A systematic change is required over a period of time across various things that might improve air quality. A gradual change is needed right from how houses are constructed to the kind of vehicle we drive; everything has to change, including the source of how we generate power,” said Anirudh Sidharth, senior manager from angel investing platform Inflection Point Ventures.

For now, ICAR’s Dhingra suggested a few options to tackle the situation in the near term: running smaller buses, avoiding large-scale events and conferences during the winters, large vehicles switching over to electric fleets, and having scattered office timings during the day to avoid traffic.

Earlier this week, Mahindra and Mahindra Chairperson Anand Mahindra on social media favored the use of regenerative farming as an alternative to stubble burning. Regenerative farming fosters the health of the soil and safeguards water resources and the climate.

More sops can also be given to farmers who opt to send their stubble to balers instead of burning it down. These huge baling machines help create bales from the stubble, which are used as fuel in industries.

“Balers are not very cost-effective. If this can be subsidized, then it can be used for boilers. Scientific technologies are available, but they need to be used properly,” said Tripathi of ICAR.

According to media reports, the Punjab government in September said it would provide 30 balers to farmers at a 65% subsidy. At present, these balers cost around one crore INR.

According to another news report, Punjab revised its plan this year to distribute 1,850 baler machines down to 1,300 balers. In the end, they managed to give merely 500 balers so far and 768 balers in the last five years.

Most Polluted Indian States – 2023

The graph shows the most polluted states in India in 2023, based on the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI measures the concentration of particulate matter in the air, a major pollutant that can harm human health.

7 Startups that are fighting against Air Pollution

Entrepreneurs are innovating products & techniques to protect our nature. Here are some of the startups that are fighting against air pollution.

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Pay-to-Breathe Industry

For some companies, the health hazard has meant a surge in demand for their products, such as air purifiers and masks.

Nirvana Being, a supplier of masks and air purifiers, saw a 200% rise in corporate sales in October and November and a whopping 3000% rise in customer sales during the same period.

“Unfortunately, people only dial into prevention or cure once they are either fearful or sick,” said Jai Dhar Gupta, founder of Nirvana Being.

A newspaper report quoted electronic retailers reporting a 70% rise in air purifiers since the drop in air quality.

While the pay-to-breathe industry may be reaping dividends, the overall economy ends up taking a hit.

In a comprehensive study carried out in 550 districts in India, the World Bank found that.

What’s Behind Extreme Air Pollution in India

Conclusion

Pollution kills. Not just humans but the economy as well. The first step to effective pollution management starts with stringent monitoring. A number of institutes, such as the Indian Institute of Kanpur, are employing artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor the quality of the air. This mechanism needs to be scaled up urgently across the country.

Finding new and cheaper alternatives to tackle air pollution is also the need of the hour, as this would entail a huge thrust from stakeholders in research and development.

“The basic infrastructure in terms of creating awareness, pulling in early-stage founders, R&D, and use of resources has increased. However, to practically pilot run and execute it, we need the support of even the larger companies,” said Sidharth of Inflection Point Ventures.

Yes, baby steps have already been initiated to curb pollution. But, the road towards cleaning the air in India would mean breaking traditional habits by turning sustainability into a way of life.

November 14, 2023