Air pollution health risks

Sun 20th Nov 11 — Chris

Smoke coming from a car exhaust

There are many health risks associated with air pollution:

  • A study by Aphekom, found that living near busy roads could be responsible for 15 to 30 per cent of all new cases of asthma in children; and of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary heart disease in adults 65 years of age and older.
  • A study in the British Medical Journal found that breathing in large amounts of traffic fumes can trigger a heart attack.
  • A 2010 report by the Government's Committee on the Medical Affects of Air Pollutants estimated that long-term exposure to air pollution caused up to 29,000 deaths in 2008.
  • Even at low concentrations NO2 can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue and nausea, as well as irritating the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
  • Workplace-related passive smoking contributed to 617 deaths per year in the UK before the smoking ban: the number of deaths caused by air pollution in London alone is 4,319.
  • Most of the deaths are caused by air pollution causeing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
  • Reduced lung growth rates and impaired lung function are caused by exposure to Particulates and Nitrogen Dioxide near busy roads. Children are more susceptible to this because their respiratory organ systems are still developing.