Key Points
- Smog guns spray fine water mist that binds with harmful particles, causing them to settle and clear the air.
- Lahore’s AQI in Kahna dropped from a hazardous 666 to a safer 170 after smog gun use.
- Smog guns provide immediate relief and health benefits but are a temporary solution needing broader pollution control.
- Limitations include high water consumption, limited coverage, and ineffectiveness against toxic gases like NO2 and SO2.
LAHORE: In a significant step toward cleaner air, Lahore, the capital of Punjab province of Pakistan, has seen a dramatic 70 percent decrease in air pollution following the introduction of smog guns in the Kahna area.
According to the Punjab Environment Department, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the region plummeted from a hazardous level of 666 to a much healthier 170, with these results confirmed by an advanced environmental monitoring system.
What is a Smog Gun?
A smog gun is a large-scale device designed to combat severe air pollution by spraying a fine mist of water droplets into the atmosphere. The technology relies on the principle that tiny water droplets can attach to airborne particles, such as dust, smoke, and other pollutants, causing them to become heavier and fall to the ground more quickly. This process helps clear the air of harmful particulate matter that poses serious health risks.
How Does a Smog Gun Work?
Smog guns work by continuously emitting a high-pressure mist that spreads over a designated area. The mist binds with the PM2.5 and PM10 particles, microscopic pollutants that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream. By increasing the weight of these particles, the smog gun helps settle them from the air, significantly lowering pollution levels.
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The device is often mounted on trucks or fixed platforms, allowing it to cover large urban or industrial zones. In Lahore’s case, the gun was installed in Kahna, a pollution hotspot, where it quickly demonstrated its effectiveness by cleaning the air within minutes of operation.
Alhamdulilah the first ever world tested dust suspension system comprising of 15 Anti Smog Guns has arrived in Lahore and is being assembled. These advanced fog cannons spray ultra fine water mist to capture harmful airborne particles, including PM2.5 & PM10, forcing them to… pic.twitter.com/aa3JoEIoK0
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 1, 2025
Positive Impacts on Human Life
Improved Air Quality: As seen in Lahore, smog guns can drastically reduce harmful pollutants, leading to clearer skies and healthier breathing conditions.
Health Benefits: Lower levels of particulate matter reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung infections. It also decreases cardiovascular problems linked to air pollution.
Visibility and Safety: Cleaner air improves visibility on roads, reducing the chances of traffic accidents caused by smog.
Temporary Relief in Pollution Hotspots: Smog guns offer immediate, though localised, relief during peak pollution episodes.
Negative Impacts and Limitations
Temporary Solution: Smog guns address symptoms rather than root causes of pollution, such as emissions from vehicles, factories, and crop burning.
Water Usage: They consume significant amounts of water, which may strain resources, especially in areas facing water scarcity.
Limited Reach: The mist can only cover certain areas, making it ineffective for large-scale or widespread pollution without multiple units.
Weather Dependency: Their efficiency decreases in high winds or dry conditions where water droplets evaporate quickly.
No Impact on Toxic Gases: Smog guns primarily target particulate matter, but do not reduce harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or sulfur dioxide (SO2).
The deployment of smog guns in Lahore marks a promising step in the fight against hazardous air pollution, providing immediate relief and improving public health in the short term. However, experts emphasize that these devices should complement broader, long-term measures such as regulating industrial emissions, improving vehicle standards, and curbing crop burning.
Punjab’s Environment Department lauded the success of the smog gun trial in Kahna and praised the efforts of the Environmental Protection Force led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. As the city breathes a little easier, the challenge remains to implement sustainable solutions for lasting clean air.
