Also discussed here: Unique study maps neighbourhood air pollution (Hamilton Spectator, Jan. 20, 2012)
And here: A Public Health Assessment of Mortality and Hospital Admissions Attributable to Air Pollution in Hamilton (3 page pdf, School of Geography and Geology and McMaster Institute of Environment and Health, 2011)
From the city of Hamilton, a leader among Canadian cities in the assessment of urban health, comes a report on a local neighbourhood air quality monitoring study. Results indicate almost 12% increased mortality risk as an average across the city for all pollutants, with the highest increased risk (+18%) near the 6 lane highway (403) that bisects the city. The breakdown of risk by pollutant may also be used to identify and reduce pollution sources.
Key Quotes:
“Mobile air monitoring techniques were used to evaluate levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Inhalable Particulate (particulate matter less than 10 microns aerodynamic diameter, PM10) and Respirable Particulate (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns aerodynamic diameter, PM2.5)”
“Of the 11 neighbourhoods monitored, all showed some air pollution impacts, ranging from 6.8% to 18.4% increased mortality, with an overall average of 11.5% increased mortality due to air pollution. The majority of impacts were due to particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen”
“Air quality consultant Denis Corr used a mobile emissions tester to take “pollution snapshots” of 11 neighbourhoods in the city.. “This really is a snapshot of risk..But there is no question people in Hamilton and Ontario are dying (prematurely) due to air pollution”
“People still tend to think about air pollution as primarily a problem associated with industry (emissions). Very few people think about their own car,” (Dr. Chris Mackie, associate medical officer of health for Hamilton)
“The study also showed that the worst place to breathe in Hamilton, by far, is near Highway 403.. highway exposures are far above any neighbourhood mortality values”
Related articles
- Global Overview of Health Impacts from Particulate Matter (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
- Two-thirds of China's cities fail on air standards (madeinusanews.com)
- Air Pollution Linked to Cognitive Decline in Women [Pollution] (io9.com)
- Reducing Health Impacts along Traffic Corridors: An Overview (chase-canada.org)
- China Fighting Air Pollution with Tough New Monitoring Rules (ecopolitology.org)
- Southern Californians at risk of death from air pollution, EPA says (yubanet.com)
- Air Pollution Tied To Cognitive Decline, Stroke (medicalnewstoday.com)
- Estimating the Risk of Death from Air Pollution (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
- Health Impacts from Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Biomass Fuels (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
- Gasoline worse than diesel when it comes to some types of air pollution: study (physorg.com)
- Computer Model May Help Lower Bay Area Air Pollution (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com)
- The Link Between Air Pollution and Asthma (everydayhealth.com)
- Report: Short-term exposure to most major air pollutants associated with increased risk of heart attack (junkscience.com)
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