Nearly 120 million people in US exposed to unhealthy levels of soot and smog – report

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

American Lung Association’s study also found great disparity between coasts, with 10 of 11 most polluted counties in California

The climate crisis has upended progress on improving air quality, with one in three Americans currently living in areas with harmful levels of pollutants known to increase the risk of medical emergencies, pregnancy complications and premature death, new research reveals.

Almost 120 million people in the US are still exposed to unhealthy levels of soot and smog, according to the annual report by the American Lung Association (ALA), which found that people of color are almost four times more likely to live in the most polluted places than white Americans.

The extent to which access to clean air is racialized is stark; people of color account for 54% of those living in counties with failing air quality, despite accounting for just over 40% of the general population.

The zip code lottery spotlights decades of racist housing and environmental policies, which have incentivized and enabled polluting infrastructure like highways and railroads, fossil fuel projects and manufacturing plants to be located close to Black, Latin and Indigenous communities.

And despite overall improvements in air quality and pollution-related deaths over the past 50 years, the report also highlights a widening disparity between air quality in eastern and western states, especially for soot particles – scientifically known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5.

Ten of the 11 most polluted counties are in California where the climate breakdown is fueling wildfires and rising temperatures that are undermining efforts to improve air quality in places like Fresno, San Bernardino, Tulare and Los Angeles.

“It is striking and distressing that 120 million people are still at risk from unhealthy air pollution, said Katherine Pruitt, lead author and the ALA’s national senior policy director. “Since around 2017, heat and drought driven by climate change has been undoing some of the progress that we should have made and been able to retain.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was mandated by the 1970 Clean Air Act to set health-based limits for six toxins: fine particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead. Since then, overall emissions have fallen by 78%, according to the EPA, yet progress has stalled and poor air quality continues to cut tens of thousands of lives short in the US every year.

“Since around 2017, heat and drought driven by climate change has been undoing some of the progress that we should have made and been able to retain” – Katherine Pruitt

Globally, air pollution is responsible for almost 7m premature deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization.

The ALA’s 24th annual state of the air report uses data from 2019 to 2021 to grade city- and county-wide exposure to the most widespread air toxins – ozone, AKA smog, and PM2.5 or soot – using three measures: year-round levels and daily spikes of PM2.5 and ground-level ozone pollution. (Seventy-one million people live in counties which do not monitor air quality and so are excluded from the report.)

Overall, almost 64 million people lived in areas that experienced unhealthy daily spikes in PM2.5 pollution, the highest number in a decade.

Eight of the 10 worst performing counties for daily particle spikes were in California which in 2021 recorded almost 9,000 wildfires – a major source of these microscopic particles which are blown for miles and can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, as well as lung cancer. Other sources include fossil fuel-powered cars and trucks, power plants, wood-burning stoves and agricultural burns.

Pittsburgh and Lancaster in Pennsylvania are the two worst metro areas for daily PM2.5 spikes east of the Mississippi River. While several urban, industrialised eastern and midwestern states such as New Jersey, New York and Ohio which once dominated the ALA dirtiest air list, have cut emissions.skip past newsletter promotion

Ground ozone – or smog – is a potent respiratory irritant emitted by fossil fuel- powered vehicles, oil refineries and chemical plants, and can cause a sunburn type of effect on the lungs. Inhaling smog can cause breathlessness, coughing and asthma attacks, as well as cutting life expectancy. Higher temperatures driven by the climate breakdown facilitates the formation of ozone – and makes it harder to clean up.

Nationwide, 103 million people – including 24 million children – are exposed to unhealthy smog levels, a staggering number, yet almost 20% less than reported last year. Los Angeles is the country’s smoggiest city by a long way, but the top 10 also includes Phoenix, Denver, Houston and Salt Lake City.

There is hope of fighting back against the climate-fueled regression.

Despite little progress in curtailing fossil fuel extraction, incentives to electrify the transport system in the Inflation Reduction Act plus several proposals by the EPA to tighten the outdated smog and soot standards and mandate lower emissions from vehicles and power plants are in the works.

Pruitt said: “The current standards need to be stronger to protect public health. If the EPA acts to reduce community level exposure, that along with proposals for new regulations to reduce emissions could be hugely significant in cleaning up pollution sources and reducing health inequities.”

Meanwhile, the report ranks Wilmington, North Carolina; Bangor, Maine; Lincoln, Nebraska; Rochester, New York and Honolulu, Hawaii among the country’s cleanest cities.

Nearly 120 million people in US exposed to unhealthy levels of soot and smog – report | US news | The Guardian
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Sandstorms bring air pollution concerns for Asian countries

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

Recent sandstorms have brought a thick covering of yellow dust to cities from China to South Korea.

Yellow dust is a seasonal problem for millions in North Asia, but this year the dust has been able to spread even further east to Japan.

The dust comes as a result of sandstorms in the Gobi desert that borders China and Mongolia, with the resulting dust catching on springtime winds to reach other countries.

But Chinese authorities have said that sandstorms in the region have been happening more and more often since the 1960s, due to rising temperatures and low in levels of rain the Gobi wilderness.

Many European countries also experienced something similar earlier this year when sandstorms from the Saharan desert brought dust to countries including Spain, Switzerland and the UK – but it is a much more common problem for Asian countries.

This year, sandstorms started bearing down on parts of China in March, while in two weeks of April alone, there have been four sandstorms.

The most recent one left cars, bikes and houses coated in dust, while another on 11 April reduced the view of the towering buildings in Shanghai’s Pudong district to mere outlines in the night sky.

Twelve provinces were placed under a sandstorm warning the following day.

What is the problem with yellow dust and what can be done to help?

The dust aggravates air pollution and puts people at greater risk of breathing problems, as the particles are small enough to be inhaled into the lungs.

At the height of the most recent sandstorm, the concentration of fine dust (also known as PM 10) in Beijing, China’s capital city was 46.2 times more than the World Health Organization’s guideline value.

In Seoul South Korea’s capital, PM 10 levels were double the level at which government would start to consider it very bad for health.

In the city of Ulsan, southeast of the capital, it was even higher.

The health risk from PM 10 particles is immediate as they’re invisible to see, and so in a polluted area it’s difficult to prevent breathing them in.

People wear face masks and hooded jackets to try and reduce how much they inhale, and exercise is often avoided as this could cause people to breathe more deeply – and therefore breathe in more of the dust.

Eom Hyeojung, a 40-year-old teacher from Seoul, said there appears to be “no realistic way to avoid yellow dust”.

She sends her daughter to school despite the health risks, saying: “As it happens so often, like every year, I just let her go. It’s sad, but I think it became just a part of our life.”

Others have said that as the sky appears to be getting murkier by the day, they have been avoiding going out as much as possible.

Sandstorms bring air pollution concerns for Asian countries – BBC Newsround

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Examining the factors in air pollution that can lead to lung cancer

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

A large international team of researchers has found that most lung cancers that result from exposure to air pollution are not due to induced mutations but are instead the result of inflammation inciting cells that are more likely to develop into cancer.

In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their extensive study of the means by which air pollution can cause lung cancer. Allan Balmain, from the University of California, San Francisco, has published a News & Views piece in the same journal issue outlining the work done by the team on this new effort.

Prior research has shown that there is a strong link between exposure to some types of air pollution and lung cancer. But because of the wide variety of particles in air pollution, medical scientists have not been able to definitively describe how breathing air pollution can lead to the development of lung cancer. In this new effort, the researchers set themselves the task of finding that answer.

The researchers analyzed medical records in databases for patients living in Canada, Taiwan, South Korea and the U.K., focusing specifically on patients who developed lung cancer and who also had a gene mutation called EFGR—it had previously been tied to an increased likelihood of developing lung cancer. They found that lung cancers in such patients were more likely to occur in those exposed to particles that were 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less—a size that allowed them to make their way deeply into the lungs.

The team next engineered test mice to carry the EFGR mutation. This made them more likely to develop lung cancer when exposed to fine particulate air pollution. But as part of their study, they also found that the mice did not experience an increase in the number of cell mutations in their lungs. This suggested that the air pollution itself did not cause new mutations, but instead contributed to conditions that induce cells predisposed to mutation to begin doing so.

The researchers suggest that air pollution in general is not a direct cause of mutations in the lungs leading to lung cancer, but instead incites preexisting cells to begin to mutate due to the inflammation that results. This theory was bolstered by giving the test mice IL-1β-blocking drugs, which reduced their chances of developing lung cancer.

More information: William Hill et al, Lung adenocarcinoma promotion by air pollutants, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05874-3

Allan Balmain, Air pollution’s role in the promotion of lung cancer, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-00929-x

Heidi Ledford, How air pollution causes lung cancer—without harming DNA, Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-00989-z

Journal information: Nature

Examining the factors in air pollution that can lead to lung cancer
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Air pollution linked to 2,600 deaths annually – report

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

Almost 1,000 lives a year could be saved on the island of Ireland if authorities adopt and meet World Health Organization guidelines on air pollution, a report has stated.

The major cross-border assessment revealed that around 2,600 premature deaths can be attributed to air pollution annually.

According to the report, every year there are 1,700 deaths in Ireland and 900 deaths in Northern Ireland associated with air pollution.

The report, Air Pollution and Mortality on the Island of Ireland, was commissioned by the Irish Heart Foundation and British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland and carried out by experts from Queen’s University Belfast and Technological University Dublin.

The report found that the biggest risk to life from air pollution is heart disease.

It stated that 680 heart disease and stroke deaths in Ireland and 300 deaths in Northern Ireland are linked to the inhalation of harmful particles (particulate matter) caused by the burning of solid fuels.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends air quality guideline levels for particulate matter of 5 micrograms per cubic metre.

However, the report states many people living on the island of Ireland are exposed to air pollution “well in excess” of this level.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, the Chief Executive of the Irish Heart Foundation, Tim Collins, said that thousands of lives could be saved if there was a shift away from burning solid fuels in homes.

“We now need to prioritise those houses that are dependent on those fuels and help those people to move away. And I think that if we could do that, we will save many lives and particularly a lot of disability among people who are particularly vulnerable,” he said.

Mr Collins said there is a very low level of public awareness of the fact that the “bulk of air pollution damaging our health comes from burning solid fuels in homes.”

The worst fuels are wet wood, solid turf and smoky coal, he said.

Last September, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan announced that new standards for domestic solid fuels would be introduced across the State within a year.

Mr Ryan said that the new regulations would help to clear up the air and reduce pollution, chimney fires and improve health.

Air pollution linked to 2,600 deaths annually – report
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Dust storms cause air pollution spike across north China

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

Air pollution soared in Beijing on Wednesday as the Chinese capital was hit by a huge sandstorm, and dust also shrouded other parts of the country in a sickly orange haze.

The official air quality index in Beijing hit the maximum level of 500, indicating “severe pollution”, though some unofficial readings were nearly twice that figure.

Authorities issued weather warnings and warned people to reduce their outdoor activities, as visibility fell to less than one kilometre in some areas of the city on Wednesday morning.

In parts of China’s north and northwest, high winds and dust turned the sky a lurid tangerine, appearing to cut visibility to less than a few hundred metres in some places.

Authorities said the pollution was largely driven by airborne particles known as PM10, which are small enough to be inhaled and can aggravate a range of respiratory and other health issues.

China’s weather service on Wednesday issued a yellow warning for dust across a sweep of the north and northwest for 24 hours from 8 am (0000 GMT).

People in affected areas should “do a good job of protecting against wind and sand, and close doors and windows in a timely manner”, the weather service said, adding they should also wear masks while outdoors.

Children, the elderly and people with respiratory allergies and other conditions should “limit how much they go out”, the service said

.Dust storms are fairly common across northern China in the spring, when changes in the wind kick up grit across the largely arid region.

The current weather system is “the most extensive of the year so far”, according to the weather service, adding that it was expected to weaken from Thursday.

Dust storms cause air pollution spike across north China
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Air pollution remains the largest environmental health risk in Europe

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

Most European city dwellers are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. Improving air quality to match World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended levels could prevent more than half of premature deaths caused by exposure to fine particulate matter.

Air pollution emissions have declined in the last two decades, resulting in better air quality. Despite this improvement, air pollution remains the largest environmental health risk in Europe. An estimated 275,000 premature deaths are caused by fine particulate matter and 64,000 by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) each year. These pollutants are linked to asthma, heart disease, and stroke.

Air pollution also causes morbidity. People live with diseases related to exposure to air pollution; this is a burden in terms of personal suffering as well as significant costs to the healthcare sector.

Society’s most vulnerable are more susceptible to air pollution impacts. Lower socio-economic groups tend to be exposed to higher levels of air pollution, while older people, children and those with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible.  

Besides health issues, air pollution can considerably impact Europe’s economy due to increased healthcare costs, reduced life expectancy, and lost working days across sectors.  It also damages vegetation and ecosystems, water and soil quality, and local ecosystems.  

Air pollution
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Nearly 200,000 people hospitalised as Thailand chokes on air pollution

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

Nearly 200,000 people have been hospitalised in Thailand this week due to hazardous air pollution, as the country is choking on a thick haze that has engulfed the capital city, Bangkok.

The severe pollution has been caused by a dangerous mix of industrial emissions, agricultural burning, and vehicle fumes.

The rising levels of air pollution in Thailand have put immense pressure on the country’s healthcare services. More than 1.3 million people have fallen sick since the start of the year as a result of air pollution, with nearly 200,000 admitted to hospital this week alone, AFP reported, quoting the public health ministry.

Bangkok, the capital city, is the worst affected with air quality continuing to worsen due to a combination of vehicular pollution, industrial emissions, and smoke from agricultural burning.

On Saturday, the popular tourist destination was ranked the third-most polluted city in the world by monitoring firm IQAir.

Kriangkrai Namthaisong, a doctor with the ministry, has advised pregnant women and children to stay indoors, as almost 50 districts in Bangkok have reported unsafe levels of PM2.5 particles.

PM2.5 particles, which are considered the most dangerous due to their ability to enter the bloodstream and damage organs, have been recorded at unsafe levels in 50 districts of Bangkok, with levels far exceeding the guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.

The northern city of Chiang Mai, an agricultural region, is also badly affected due to incidents of stubble burning in the area.

To counter the situation, the Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s spokesperson Aekvarunyoo Amrapala announced that another work from home order will be issued if the situation deteriorates and advised anyone going outside to wear a high-quality N95 anti-pollution mask.

Authorities have taken some measures to counteract the situation, with nurseries in Bangkok setting up “no dust rooms” fitted with air purifiers to protect young children. In addition, checkpoints have been established to monitor vehicle emissions, Mr Amrapala told AFP.

The director general of the public health ministry has stated that more measures are required to tackle the problem. The public should work from home while schools might need to avoid outdoor activities to protect children’s health.

“We have to intensify (efforts to tackle pollution) by encouraging people to work from home. For schools…they might have to avoid outdoor activities in order to prevent impacts on children’s health,” the department’s director general had said in a news conference.

The country had faced a similar situation in January-February when air quality had plummeted. Apart from vehicular emissions and agricultural fires, the “stagnant weather conditions” had played a crucial role in the rising levels of air pollution, according to officials.

Nearly 200,000 people hospitalised as Thailand chokes on air pollution | The Independent
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Less Than 1% of Earth Has Safe Levels of Air Pollution

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Respro® UK Ltd

It’s no secret that air pollution is a serious problem facing the world today. Just how serious? A new study on global daily levels of air pollution shows that hardly anywhere on Earth is safe from unhealthy air.

About 99.82% of the global land area is exposed to levels of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) — tiny particles in the air that scientists have linked to lung cancer and heart disease — above the safety limit recommended by the Word Health Organization, according to the peer-reviewed study published Monday in Lancet Planetary Health. And only 0.001% of the world’s population breathes in air that is considered acceptable, the paper says.

Conducted by scientists in Australia and China, the study found that on the global level, more than 70% of days in 2019 had daily PM2.5 concentrations exceeding 15 micrograms of gaseous pollutant per cubic meter — the WHO recommended daily limit. Air quality is particularly worrisome in regions such as southern Asia and eastern Asia, where more than 90% of days had PM2.5 concentrations above the 15 microgram threshold.

While any amount of PM 2.5 is harmful, scientists and regulators are typically less concerned about daily levels than they are about chronic exposure.

“I hope our study can change the minds of scientists and policymakers for the daily PM2.5 exposure,” said Yuming Guo, the lead researcher and an environmental health professor at Monash University. “Short-term exposure, particularly sudden increase, to PM2.5 has significant health problems … If we can make every day with clean air, of course the long-term exposure of air pollution would be improved.”

While scientists and public health officials have long been at alert to the dangers — air pollution kills 6.7 million people a year, with nearly two-thirds of the premature deaths caused by fine particulate matter — quantifying the global exposure to PM2.5 was a challenge due to a lack of pollution monitoring stations.

Guo and his coauthors overcame that challenge by marrying ground-based air pollution measurements collected from more than 5,000 monitoring stations worldwide with machine learning simulations, meteorological data and geographical factors to estimate global daily PM2.5 concentrations.

When it came to estimating annual exposure across all regions, the researchers found that the highest concentrations occurred in eastern Asia (50 micrograms per cubic meter), followed by southern Asia (37 micrograms) and northern Africa (30 micrograms). Residents of Australia and New Zealand faced the least threat from fine particulate matter, while other regions in Oceania and southern America were also among the places with the lowest annual PM2.5 concentrations.

They also examined how air pollution changed over the two decades up to 2019. For instance, most areas in Asia, northern and sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania, and Latin America and the Caribbean experienced an increase in PM2.5 concentrations over the 20 years, driven in part by intensified wildfires. Annual PM2.5 concentrations and high PM2.5 days in Europe and northern America decreased, thanks to stricter regulations. Fine particulate matter is made up of soot from vehicles, smoke and ash from wildfires and biomass cook-stove pollution, plus sulfate aerosols from power generation and desert dust.

The article also points out how levels of fine particulate matter vary depending on the season, a reflection of human activities that accelerate air pollution. For instance, northeast China and north India recorded higher PM 2.5 concentrations from December to February, likely linked to an increased use of fossil fuel-burning heat generators during the winter months. South American countries such as Brazil, on the other hand, had increased concentrations between August and September, probably connected to slash-and-burn cultivation in the summer.

Less Than 1% of Earth Has Safe Levels of Air Pollution | Time
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