Exposure to wildfires increases risk of cancer

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Living near regions prone to wildfires may boost risk of developing lung cancer and brain tumors

A new study from McGill University finds higher incidence of lung cancer and brain tumors in people exposed to wildfires. The study, which tracks over two million Canadians over a period of 20 years, is the first to examine how proximity to forest fires may influence cancer risk.

“Wildfires tend to happen in the same locations each year, but we know very little about the long-term health effects of these events. Our study shows that living in close proximity to wildfires may increase the risk of certain cancers,” says Scott Weichenthal, an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health at McGill University.

Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study shows that people living within 50-kilometer of wildfires over the past 10 years had a 10 per cent higher incidence of brain tumors and 4.9 per cent higher incidence of lung cancer, compared to people living further away.

Impacts of climate change on human health

With the changing climate, wildfires are predicted to become more prevalent, severe, and longer in duration in the future – and they are increasingly recognized as a global health problem. “Many of the pollutants emitted by wildfires are known human carcinogens, suggesting that exposure could increase cancer risk in humans,” says Jill Korsiak, a PhD student in Professor Weichenthal’s lab who led the analysis.

Wildfires typically occur in similar regions each year, and as a result, people living in nearby communities might be exposed to carcinogenic wildfire pollutants on a chronic basis, warn the researchers.

Lingering harmful pollutants

In addition to impacts on air quality, wildfires also pollute aquatic, soil, and indoor environments. While some pollutants return to normal concentrations shortly after the fire has stopped burning, other chemicals might persist in the environment for long periods of time, including heavy metals and hydrocarbons. “Exposure to harmful environmental pollutants might continue beyond the period of active burning through several routes of exposure,” adds Professor Weichenthal.

Still, more research is necessary to understand the complex mixture of environmental pollutants released during wildfires, note the researchers. They also note that further work is needed to develop more long-term estimates of the chronic health effects of wildfires.

About this study

“Long-term exposure to wildfires and cancer incidence in Canada: a population-based observational cohort study” by Jill Korsiak, Lauren Pinault, Tanya Christidis, Richard Burnett, Michal Abrahamowicz, and Scott Weichenthal was published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00067-5

Exposure to wildfires increases risk of cance | EurekAlert!
Posted in Air Quality, Canada, Health Effects of Air Pollution, Medical Studies, USA & Canada | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Schools Shut in Tehran Due to Air Pollution

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

The province of Tehran’s local officials made a belated decision to close kindergartens and elementary schools on Sunday morning to protect children from a thick smog of pollution hanging in the air.  

“High school students should be prevented from outdoor physical activities … considering the ‘very unhealthy’ air quality index,” Abed Maleki, a senior member of the governor-general’s office, was quoted as saying by ISNA. 

The overdue decision, announced at 8 am in the morning, triggered public backlash as parents scrambled to plan for their children’s day. It is not clear whether schools will be shut on Monday. 

“The decision for tomorrow will be announced in coming hours after reviewing the air quality index,” Maleki pointed out. 

Dusts and particles from sources inside and outside Iran have contributed to the pollution crisis as Tehran ranked first in worst air quality among major cities across the world on Sunday.

Data released by Tehran Air Quality Control Company showed that average PM2.5 readings, which are hazardous airborne particles, were at 201 micrograms per cubic meter, “very unhealthy” for all age groups. 

Children, the elderly, and those suffering from respiratory illness should not leave home and everyone should refrain from long and high-intensity exercise outdoors in such conditions.  

Other Cities 

Head of the national center for forecast and management of crisis in air quality, Sadeq Ziayian, said the hazardous particles will linger in Tehran until Monday noon but the circumstances vary for different cities. 

“Cities located in central Iran will experience this air quality over the next three days,” he said, adding that air quality in cities in western and southwestern Iran is set to exacerbate starting Tuesday. 

Ziayian noted that the Iran Meteorological Organization had issued four warnings prior to Sunday, which were widely ignored by officials until they finally held a meeting on Sunday morning to close down schools. 

Pointing to the ramifications of drought across the country, Ziayian said, “There’s been an over 27% drop in rains this year.”

Droughts play a huge role in creating new sources of dust and particles as deserts and degraded dry lands increase in number and square meter in areas near cities that subsequently increase pollutants in the air.   

Air pollution episodes have surged in intensity and frequency in Iran and the Middle East as the effects of poor environmental policies and lack of investment on the issue start to reveal themselves.  

Schools Shut in Tehran Due to Air Pollution | Financial Tribune
Posted in Air Quality, Iran, Middle East | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

EU citizens may sue countries for health-damaging dirty air, top court adviser says

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Citizens in European Union countries may be able to sue their governments for financial compensation if illegal levels of air pollution damage their health, an adviser to Europe’s top court said on Thursday.

The adviser’s opinion follows a string of rulings at the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the EU in recent years, with around 10 EU countries including France, Poland, Italy and Romania found guilty of illegal air pollution.

“An infringement of the limit values for the protection of air quality under EU law may give rise to entitlement to compensation from the State,” the court said in a statement.

Advocate General Juliane Kokott noted that it is often poorer communities that live and work in highly polluted areas and particularly need judicial protection.

Individuals claiming compensation would need to prove that the damage to their health had been directly caused by the air pollution, she said. A government may also avoid liability if it could prove the pollution limits would still have been breached if it had a sufficient air quality plan in place.

“This legal confirmation that there are routes to hold those in power to account is a major breakthrough in the fight for clean and healthy air,” said Irmina Kotiuk, lawyer at environmental law firm ClientEarth.

EU court opinions are non-binding, but the court typically agrees with them in the ruling that follows in the coming months.

The opinion concerns a case brought by a Paris resident seeking 21 million euros in compensation from the French government, on the grounds that air pollution damaged his health and the government failed to ensure compliance with EU limits.

A Versailles court hearing the Paris dispute asked the EU court to clarify whether individuals can claim such compensation.

Paris breached the EU’s legal limits for nitrogen dioxide pollution between 2010 and 2020.

In a bid to reduce premature deaths associated with dirty air, the EU will propose an upgrade of its pollution limits this year to better align them with stricter World Health Organization rules.

EU citizens may sue countries for health-damaging dirty air, top court adviser says | Reuters
Posted in Air Quality, Europe, France, Italy, Poland | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kampala pollution way over recommended levels – data

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Pollution levels in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, are five to seven times higher than the Word Health Organization (WHO) recommends. 

This is according to air quality data gathered from monitoring systems in the country in the last seven months and released to mark the global Air Quality Awareness week.

The data also showed that pollution levels during the period of study peaked countrywide in January 2022.

In a joint statement, the country’s National Management Environment Authority, Kampala Capital City Authority and air quality research initiative AirQo, based at Makerere University, called for joint action to reduce air pollution.

Kampala Capital City Authority officials say dust from unpaved roads, emissions from vehicles and industries as well as the open burning of solid waste are responsible for the poor air quality.

The 2021 World Air Quality report ranked Kampala as one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Kampala pollution way over recommended levels – data | The New Times | Rwanda
Posted in Africa, Air Quality | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Anti-idling campaign reduces idling time at elementary schools: ‘Nerdmobile’ sampled air quality in pick-up/drop-off line during the study

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

An anti-idling campaign at two elementary schools was effective in reducing idling time by 38%, and an air monitoring experiment found that air quality around schools can vary over short distances. These findings, published in the journal Atmosphere, can help schools and school districts plan to protect students, staff and the community from unhealthy air pollution both indoors and outdoors.

“Idling at schools during drop-off and pick-up times is a substantial problem,” says study lead author Daniel Mendoza, a research assistant professor in the University of Utah’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences and visiting assistant professor in the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning. “The anti-idling campaign was effective in reducing not only the number of vehicles idling but also the length of idling.”

Mendoza and colleagues, including Tabitha Benney, an associate professor of political science, are studying the sources and impacts of air pollution along the Wasatch Front, a region with bowl-like geography that leads to air quality issues. U scientists have developed mobile tools to monitor air quality, including a van filled with research-grade air sensors that’s been affectionately named the “Nerdmobile.” For this study, the Nerdmobile was parked outside Willow Springs Elementary and Bonneville Elementary for a week at a time in each school’s pick-up/drop-off zone. The measurements at the van were then compared with air quality measurements inside the school and near the school’s playground.

They’re also interested in the social impacts of air quality. For this study, they partnered with researchers at Westminster College who used the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Idle-Free Schools Toolkit to conduct an intensive three-month anti-idling campaign involving teachers and parents. “It was extremely important to us that the campaign involved the school community every step of the way,” says Rachel Forrest, adjunct professor in the Public Health Program, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Westminster College. “Community members helped shape the look and feel of the campaign and donated their time and expertise to implement it. Without their support, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

And it worked. The researchers found 38% less idling time and 11% fewer cars idling after the campaign than before.

The researchers intended to follow up several months later to see how well the effects of the campaign persisted, but unfortunately, school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the study in March 2020.”

Reduced idling has numerous advantages,” Mendoza says. “The most important one is the substantial reduction of concentrated pollution in a relatively small area.” Recent research from Mendoza, Benney and colleagues found that indoor air quality in two Salt Lake City high schools was impacted by outdoor air quality.

Idling can also unnecessarily burn fuel — a fact that becomes more relevant as gas prices have risen in recent months.

Why do parents idle when dropping off or picking up? It’s usually to maintain a comfortable temperature in the car, but studies have found that it takes 10-15 minutes for in-car temperatures to change enough to be uncomfortable.

What did the team learn about air pollution from idling? Another unfortunate setback, a winter inversion, which traps emissions in the cold valley under a lid of warm air and impairs air quality, set in during the study period, confounding the measurements and making the effect of reduced idling on air quality unclear.

“However, what the inversion helped us see more clearly was the lasting effects of idling around schools as there were marked pollution spikes following drop-off and pick-up times,” Mendoza says. The researchers also noticed that the amount of particulate matter air pollution dropped off between the van parked in the pickup lane and the school playgrounds, highlighting the localized air pollution caused by car emissions.

“It is not only parents but also school buses that have been culprits of localized pollution hotspots around schools,” Mendoza says. Many school districts, he says, have already enacted idling bans for buses. “However, parents are a completely different story.”

Anti-idling campaign reduces idling time at elementary schools: ‘Nerdmobile’ sampled air quality in pick-up/drop-off line during the study — ScienceDaily
Posted in Air Quality | Leave a comment

Ambient Dirty Air May Put Some People at Higher Risk for Head and Neck Cancers

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Diesel particulate levels tied to increased oral and pharyngeal cancer incidence in one state

Living in areas with high levels of ambient air pollution may be a risk factor for some head and neck (H&N) cancers, a researcher said here.

In a study that linked data from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2018 Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, there was a significantly greater risk for the development of H&N cancer, and oral and pharyngeal cancer in particular, in places with high levels of diesel particulate matter (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.68-4.26, P<0.001), reported Tirth Patel, MD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

In addition, ages >65 had a higher risk for H&N cancer development (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.23, P<0.001), he said in a poster at the American Head and Neck Society annual meeting. However, Patel noted to MedPage Today that cancer rates in general tend to be higher in older people.

“We work with a lot of H&N cancers, oral and throat cancers, so we wanted to see if the findings that link air pollutants to lung cancer also holds true for H&N cancers,” Patel explained. “We found that diesel particulates were higher in [U.S. Postal Service] zip codes that had rates of oral and throat cancers. We saw a 2.5 times greater risk of H&N cancers in the people who lived in these areas where there were higher levels of diesel particulate matter — particularly oral and pharyngeal cancer.”

“We speculate that the pollutants cause changes in the cells that can make them turn from normal cells into cancerous ones. It is likely one of a number of factors involved in this change,” he added.

Patel and colleagues used data from the single-state cancer registry (2014-2018) and identified cases of oral and pharyngeal cancers by zip codes, and then used the EPA tool map where pollutant levels were highest. The pollutants they examined included ozone, particulate mater of <2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5), and diesel particulate matter. “Air pollutant levels in zip codes within the top quartile of oral/pharyngeal cancer incidence were compared with pollutant levels in the lowest quartile of incidence,” the authors explained.

Patel reported that they found no statistically significant associations for H&N cancer with ozone levels (P=0.15), minority population residency (P=0.46), or low income versus high income areas (P=0.94).

However, the authors did find that in a binary logistic regression analysis that diesel particulate levels (P<0.001) and percentage of the population ages >65 (P<0.001) were significant predictors of a zip code belonging to the high versus low incidence group. Patel noted that diesel particulate matter is usually associated with trucking, and is greatest in areas near ports, railways, and freeways.T

he authors pointed out that additional research is needed to establish a causal link.

Rema Kandula, MD, of Louisiana State University Health Sciences in Shreveport, noted that other research has “indicated that air pollution is related to all types of cancers. I think everyone knows that air pollution is linked to lung cancer, but now we see how air pollutants can be linked to oral and pharyngeal cancer.”

“These results are consistent with what I would expect,” Kandula, who was not involved in the study, told MedPage Today. “Of course, this study is not just relevant to Illinois but everywhere in the world where we have severe air pollution, and especially in developing countries, such as my native India.”

Ambient Dirty Air May Put Some People at Higher Risk for Head and Neck Cancers | MedPage Today
Posted in Air Quality, Health Effects of Air Pollution, Medical Studies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Report: The West Is the Worst for Air Quality

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Thanks to longer fire seasons and increasingly intense blazes, Western states are experiencing the nation’s worst air quality.

Kylie Mohr describes the findings of a report from the American Lung Association that assesses air quality around the United States. “Its “State of the Air” analysis looks at two of the six outdoor air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, including both short-term spikes and annual levels of particle pollution, and ground-level ozone air pollution, often known as smog.”

According to the report, “More days with ‘very unhealthy’ and ‘hazardous’ air quality were documented than ever before recorded in the report’s 20-year existence.

”Altogether, almost 9 million more people were exposed to unhealthy levels of particulate pollution compared to previous reports, in large part due to breathing in wildfire smoke.

Mohr explains, “Emissions from transportation and power plants have fallen drastically since the implementation of the 1970 Clean Air Act, a comprehensive federal law that regulates sources of emissions. But in recent years, climate change-fueled increases in pollution are increasing public health challenges.” Consequently, “The urban, industrialized Eastern and Midwestern states are now getting passing grades compared to 15 years ago, while Western states now dominate the charts.”

Air pollution doesn’t affect everyone in the same way. “The report also reiterates the fact that socioeconomic inequalities exacerbate environmental harms. People of color were 61% more likely than white people to live in a county failing in at least one pollutant category, and over three times as likely to live in a county with a failing grade for all three kinds of pollution.”

To improve these conditions, “The American Lung Association would like to see the EPA strengthen its air-quality standards for particulate matter and ozone as a first step.” The article acknowledges that “While that won’t begin to eliminate the particulate matter coming from the West’s increasingly severe wildfires, or wholly mitigate the climate’s impact on ozone pollution, actions from the individual to federal level could help move the needle toward a vision of clear valleys, cityscapes and sunsets.”

Report: The West Is the Worst for Air Quality | Planetizen News
Posted in Air Quality, Health Effects of Air Pollution, USA, USA & Canada | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Canadians Gain ‘Immense Health Benefits’ From Cutting Traffic Air Pollution, Doctors Say

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Respro® UK Ltd

Scientific evidence “unequivocally” indicates a need for decisive action to protect Canadians from the adverse health effects of traffic-related air pollution, says a new report prepared by doctors calling for a shift to electric vehicles and greener, more walkable cities.

Such a transition will produce “immense health benefits,” say members of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), in a report that summarized nearly 1,200 research studies published between 2015 and 2020.

A “striking” amount of evidence links traffic pollution to poor health, Jane McArthur, a co-author of the report and campaign director with CAPE, told the Globe and Mail.

Studies show that the diverse, profound health effects from vehicle emissions extend well beyond the established link to respiratory ailments “to encompass cardiovascular and neurological problems, allergies, and adverse outcomes related to cancer and pregnancy,” reports the Globe. 

“In 2021, Health Canada estimated that air pollution contributes to 15,300 premature deaths annually across the country. And for larger Canadian population centres, where emissions from power generation and other industries have been on the decline, traffic has played a growing role as a source of emissions,” the news story states.

While emission cuts are already considered necessary to meet climate targets, the Globe says the report points to additional health benefits “that would derive from lowering vehicle-associated emission of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and fine particles among other substances that can wreak havoc on the body.”

“It’s affecting every single system in the body and affecting the entire population,” CAPE director Samantha Green, a physician with Toronto’s Unity Health network, told the Globe.

According to the report, one-third of Canadians live within 250 metres of a major roadway and therefore face elevated health risks because of traffic-related air pollution. “Much of that risk falls unevenly on lower-income individuals and families who are more likely to live in areas with poorer air quality,” reports the Globe.

The study also makes clear how ailments linked to traffic pollution burden the public health care system, Green said, adding that moving quickly to make communities greener and more walkable would yield “immense health benefits.”

To achieve those gains, the CAPE report recommends creation of low-emission zones within cities—where electric vehicles, bikes, and public transit would be given priority, plus “stronger fuel content and vehicle-type rules.”

Planting trees and shrubs along busy roadways would help protect adjacent neighborhoods from traffic pollution, while better ventilation systems in buildings would protect indoor spaces.

Stressing that traffic-related air pollution is a systemic problem that “just cannot be tackled at the individual level,” Green urged Canadians to get political to protect air quality and their quality of life. “If an individual is concerned about this issue, then they need to demand that their politicians take action.”

Canadians Gain ‘Immense Health Benefits’ From Cutting Traffic Air Pollution, Doctors Say – The Energy Mix
Posted in Air Quality, Canada, Health Effects of Air Pollution, USA & Canada | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment