Why is air quality so important?

A few articles that explain why air quality is so important – vital both to personal health and the health of the economy.

Please follow the links to read the articles at source.

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“Why is air quality so important?
Here’s why Europe needs to tighten its legislation on threats to air quality from road vehicles, diesel machinery and sea-going ships.

https://www.transportenvironment.org

How does air pollution affect us?
An adult breathes 15,000 litres of air every day. When we breathe polluted air pollutants get into our lungs; they can enter the bloodstream and be carried to our internal organs such as the brain. This can cause severe health problems such as asthma, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer and reduces the quality and number of years of life. (New evidence even suggests that every organ in the human body is harmed.) Vulnerable groups, namely children, people with chronic diseases, and the eldery, are particularly sensitive to the dangerous effects of toxic air pollution.

Polluted air also causes eutrophication and acidification of our ecosystems, which results in the loss of agricultural productivity, irreversible damage to ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity. Last but not least, air pollution causes severe damage to our cultural heritage by degrading architectural masterpieces that are part of our national and European identity.

How is the air quality in Europe?
In the EU 100 million sick days and more than 390,000 premature deaths can be attributed to air pollution every year. According to the European Environment Agency more than 95% of the EU’s urban population are exposed to dangerous levels of ozone pollution, three-quarters breathe excessive levels of particulate matter (PM2.5), and 7-8% are exposed to toxic levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Infringement procedures against 15 EU member states are ongoing for the breach of ambient air quality limits.

What is the economic cost of air pollution?
The health costs attributable to air pollution caused by road transport have been estimated at €67 billion to €80 billion annually by the EU in a study for the European Public Health Alliance. An estimated 75% of these costs are linked to diesel cars, and are primarily borne by taxpayers and customers paying insurance premiums. These costs can be significantly reduced by up to 70% by 2030 if appropriate measures are taken, such as low emission zones, the study finds.

What are the pollutants of main concern to air quality in Europe?
The pollutants of main concern for health in the EU are particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ground-level ozone (O3). Particulate matter has the most severe health effects, in particular the ultrafine matter which can penetrate deeper into our lungs and body. There is no safe concentration level, according to the World Health Organisation.

Nitrogen dioxide’s (NO2) has major negative effects such as inflammation of the airways, bronchitis in asthmatic children, and reduced lung function. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) cause acidification and eutrophication and is a precursor of O3 and PM.

Excessive O3 in the air can cause breathing problems, asthma and lung diseases. It can lead to reduced crop yields, loss of biodiversity and degradation of physical cultural heritage. Furthermore, it causes global warming.

Why is it so important to tackle air quality threats from road and diesel machine sources?
Our roads are crowded with motor vehicles. Vehicle exhaust gases contain a number of dangerous pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particles, and unfortunately we are exposed to them every day. Exposure is particularly important if we live in a city or near a busy road or highway. Road transport is responsible for 39% of NOx emissions from all land sources.

Diesel machinery also represents an important health problem, in particular for workers using it.

What is Europe doing about air pollution?
Air pollution legislation includes the Ambient Air Quality directive (AAQD), the National Emissions Ceiling Directive (NECD) and sector-specific legislation.

The AAQD sets quality objectives for ambient air by establishing limit values for air pollutant concentrations. These limits apply to pollutants responsible for acidification, eutrophication and O3 formation. Member states have an obligation to comply with the limits but can choose how to achieve this.

The NECD establishes national ceilings for total emissions of four different pollutants. The NECD is based on the Gothenburg protocol, an international agreement with the very same objectives.

Sector-specific legislation includes emissions rules for passenger cars and light vans (light duty vehicles), trucks and buses (heavy duty vehicles), diesel machinery (also known as non-road machinery) and seagoing ships.

What should Europe do?
Europe must be ambitious and make sure that cars, vans, trucks, trains, planes, ships and construction machines are as clean as possible, not only during type approval, but also in real life. The newly developed Real-world Driving Emissions (RDE) test for light-duty vehicles should be strengthened and used for all compliance in the future.

T&E also wants the EU to strengthen its Euro standards for air pollutants (future Euro 7 standards for cars, VII standards for trucks) with the WHO guidelines in a technology-neutral manner which doesn’t discriminate between fuels. It should also tighten further and ensure compliance with its legislation on diesel machinery and seagoing ships.”

Why is air quality so important?

Air Pollution

https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1

World Health Organisation

“Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. WHO is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality.

From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. The combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about seven million premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

More than 80% of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures, both indoors and outdoors.

Ambient Air Pollution
From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. Ambient air pollution accounts for an estimated 4.2 million deaths per year due to stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

Around 91% of the world’s population live in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. While ambient air pollution affects developed and developing countries alike, low- and middle-income countries experience the highest burden, with the greatest toll in the WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.

The major outdoor pollution sources include vehicles, power generation, building heating systems, agriculture/waste incineration and industry. Policies and investments supporting cleaner transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management can effectively reduce key sources of ambient air pollution.

Air quality is closely linked to earth’s climate and ecosystems globally. Many of the drivers of air pollution (i.e. combustion of fossil fuels) are also sources of high CO2 emissions. Policies to reduce air pollution, therefore, offer a “win–win” strategy for both climate and health, lowering the burden of disease attributable to air pollution, as well as contributing to the near- and long-term mitigation of climate change.

Household Air Pollution
Household air pollution is one of the leading causes of disease and premature death in the developing world.

Exposure to smoke from cooking fires causes 3.8 million premature deaths each year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. Burning fuels such as dung, wood and coal in inefficient stoves or open hearths produces a variety of health-damaging pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), methane, carbon monoxide, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Burning kerosene in simple wick lamps also produces significant emissions of fine particles and other pollutants.

Particulate matter is a pollutant of special concern. Many studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between exposure to PM and negative health impacts. Smaller-diameter particles (PM2.5 or smaller) are generally more dangerous and ultrafine particles (one micron in diameter or less) can penetrate tissues and organs, posing an even greater risk of systemic health impacts.

Exposure to indoor air pollutants can lead to a wide range of adverse health outcomes in both children and adults, from respiratory illnesses to cancer to eye problems. Members of households that rely on polluting fuels and devices also suffer a higher risk of burns, poisonings, musculoskeletal injuries and accidents.”

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