Health Impact Of Air Pollution

Health Impact of Air Pollution History of Air Pollution • Humans first felt health effects from air pollution when they built fires in poorly ventilated caves. • Throughout most of history, air pollution problems have been local and minor because of the earth’s ability to absorb and purify pollutants • In the mid-1700’s the industrial revolution, cars, and a huge boom in the population have caused a more widespread pollution problem • One of the worst case of air pollution occurred in London in 1953 when smog rolled over the city and killed 8,000 people over a six month period. • Today, it is believed that burning fossil fuels cause the greatest health risks.

Health Effects of Air Pollutants

Major Sources • Sources of air pollution can be divided into two categories: anthropogenic sources (human activity) and natural sources. • The most prevalent anthropogenic sources of air pollution are smoke stacks of power plants and factories, motor vehicles, and aerosol sprays. • The most egregious natural sources of pollution include naturally produced dust, methane emitted by animals, smoke and CO from forest fires, and sulfur, chlorine, and ash produced by volcanic activity

Health Impacts •The EPA monitors 177 different pollutants. Two major pollutants are benzene and acrolein. Benzene is the most significant pollutant in terms of cancer risk, while acrolein is the most significant in terms of respiratory effects. •“From a national perspective, benzene is the most significant air toxic for which cancer risk could be estimated.” •“Of the 40 air toxics showing the potential for respiratory effects, acrolein is the most significant, contributing 91 percent of the nationwide average noncancer hazard identified in this assessment.”

Benzene: •drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and unconsciousness •vomiting, convulsions (ingestion) •skin, eyes, respiratory tract irritation •redness, blisters •neurologic, immunologic, and hematologic •blood disorders (bone marrow) •Chromosome aberration •Possible infertility in women •increased incidence of leukemia (benzene is a recognized carcinogen) Acrolein: •High concentration = death •Respiratory congestion •Eye, nose, throat irritation •Skin burns

What is being done? What more can be done? Clean Air Act- originally implemented in 1970-revised in 1990 by (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency - goals: •reducing outdoor, or ambient, concentrations of air pollutants that cause smog, haze, acid rain, and other problems; •reducing emissions of toxic air pollutants that are known to, or are suspected of, causing cancer or other serious health effects; and •phasing out production and use of chemicals that destroy stratospheric ozone. •Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit applies to hybrid vehicles purchased after January 1, 2006. The credit is worth up to $3,000 for the most efficient models. •The Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division (APPCD) within the National Risk Management Research Laboratory, conducts research, develops and demonstrates air pollution prevention and control technologies for key industries, electric power plants, and incinerators