Anthropogenic Global Warming

[Yulegoat]

Timmah! said:

Yulegoat: We can't handle 8000ppm?!? Do you have sources? 380ppm is .38%, 8000ppm is .8%, CO2 concentration has noticeable effects above 1% (10000ppm) lethal dose (rapid asphyxiation) is somwhere between 7% & 8% (70000 to 80000ppm). Here's the chart...

Health effects of respiratory exposure to carbon dioxide
(Baxter, 2000; Faivre-Pierret and Le Guern, 1983 and refs therein; NIOSH, 1981).

Exposure limits (% in air)	Health Effects
2-3	Unnoticed at rest, but on exertion there may be marked shortness of breath
3	Breathing becomes noticeably deeper and more frequent at rest
3-5	Breathing rhythm accelerates. Repeated exposure provokes headaches
5	Breathing becomes extremely laboured, headaches, sweating and bounding pulse
7.5	Rapid breathing, increased heart rate, headaches, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, muscular weakness, loss of mental abilities, drowsiness, and ringing in the ears
8-15	Headache, vertigo, vomiting, loss of consciousness and possibly death if the patient is not immediately given oxygen
10	Respiratory distress develops rapidly with loss of consciousness in 10-15 minutes
15	Lethal concentration, exposure to levels above this are intolerable
25+	Convulsions occur and rapid loss of consciousness ensues after a few breaths. Death will occur if level is maintained.

Chart from http://www.esc.cam.ac.uk/ivhhn/guidelines/gas/co2.html 

Sources are always good.

380 ppm is 0,038%, 8000 ppm is 0,8% (european style). The occupational guidelines in your source are 0,5% for 8 hours. 0,8% is harmful 24/7. In addition, CO2 keeps cumulating indoors because we exhale it, so if the CO2 levels were 0,8% oudoors, they would probably be well over 1% indoors in non-air conditioned properties. Those are very close to the values that require immediate evacuation:

Existing Guidelines

Gas masks may be of limited use in high CO₂ concentrations due to the lack of oxygen. Hence it has been recommended that working or living areas should be immediately evacuated when concentrations exceed 1.5% by volume (the occupational short-term exposure limit value). Ambient guidelines for CO₂ do not exist. Occupational guidelines for CO₂ concentrations are given in the table.

Occupational guidelines for CO₂
(Concentration of 1% = 10000 ppm)

Country/ Institution	Level %	Level mg m-3	Averaging Period	Guideline Type	Date of Implemen- tation	Relevant Law	Notes	Ref.
EU	0.5	9000	8 hour TWA	OEL		Commission Directive 91/322		a
UK	1.5	274000	15 min	MEL		ILV		b
0.5	9150	8 hour TWA	MEL		ILV		b
USA	3	540000	15 min	STEL	2003	NIOSH		c
>0.5	9000	8 hour TWA	PEL		OSHA Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR)	1	d
0.5	9000	10 hour TWA	REL	2003	NIOSH		c

http://www.esc.cam.ac.uk/ivhhn/guidelines/gas/co2.html