Air pollution in major US cities is the largest cause of premature mortality, a new study has revealed. An average of 200,000 people have their lives cut short by about a decade every year because of continuous exposure to toxic fumes.
Researchers from MIT’s Laboratory for Aviation and the
Environment carried out a nationwide study, tracing ground-level
emissions and their effect on citizen mortality. The team of
investigators looked at sources such as car exhausts, industrial
smokestacks and commercial and residential heating and found that
an average of 200,000 people die prematurely each year because of
exposure.
Steven Barrett, an assistant professor of aeronautics and
astronautics at MIT, said the new research confirmed already
existing fears. He stressed that prolonged exposure to toxic
emissions could shorten people’s lives by up to a decade.
“In the past five to 10 years, the evidence linking air-pollution
exposure to risk of early death has really solidified and gained
scientific and political traction,” said Barrett, adding that
something must be done to mitigate the problem.
In the study sources of air pollution were divided into six
different categories: electric power generation, industry,
commercial and residential sources, road transportation, marine
transportation, and rail transportation. Data on each of the
categories was then fed into an air quality simulation program to
assess their impact on the atmosphere.
Out of all 50 states, California is the worst offender, with over
21,000 premature deaths mostly attributed to exposure to car
exhaust fumes and emissions from heating and cooking. Moreover,
the US Environmental Protection Agency says that more than 1
million southern Californians are at a greater risk of
contracting a respiratory disorder because they live within 300
meters of a highway.
Transport biggest killer
The primary cause of premature death in the US was found to be
transport emissions, responsible for 53,000 of the 200,000
premature deaths. Fumes from electrical power generation followed
closely behind, claiming 52,000 lives annually. Early deaths from
industrial activities were found to be particularly prevalent in
the Midwest, as well as in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Atlanta.
“It was surprising to me just how significant road
transportation was,” Barrett observed, “especially when
you imagine [that] coal-fired power stations are burning
relatively dirty fuel.”
Domestic emissions sources were also flagged as part of the
problem, with pollution from cooking and heating behind a large
number of premature deaths. Although they may seem harmless the
use of these appliances produces carbon dioxide which can cause
health problems after prolonged exposure.
“A public health burden of this magnitude clearly requires
significant policy attention, especially since technologies are
readily available to address a significant fraction of these
emissions,” Jonathan Levy, a professor of environmental
health at Boston University, commented to MIT.
The US Environmental Agency recently introduced new guidelines
that will require air pollution monitors to be installed on the
side of major highways in over 100 cities across the country.
However, fossil fuels still remain the principle source of US
power, accounting for 42 percent of the country's electricity
production in 2011.