What are the health effects of particulate air pollution?
More than two-dozen community health studies since 1987 have linked particulate pollution to reductions in lung function, increased hospital and emergency room admissions, and premature deaths. Recently, two major epidemiological studies (by the American Cancer Society and Harvard University) were published that showed that people living in more polluted cities had an increased risk of premature death compared to those in cleaner cities. 2. How does mortality attributable to particulate pollution compare to total cardiopulmonary mortality? NRDC estimates that at current levels of pollution, approximately 64,000 premature deaths from cardiopulmonary causes may be attributable to particulate air pollution each year. That represents 6.5% of all cardiopulmonary deaths, which total 986,000 per year. The national estimate of mortality attributable to smoking is 418,690 for 1990. 3. Who is at greatest risk? The elderly and those with heart and lung disease are at greatest risk of premature mo
