Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know - NRDC

Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air—pollutants which are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. Jumptonavigation JumptoSection WhatIsAirPollution? WhatCausesAirPollution? EffectsofAirPollution AirPollutionintheUnitedStates AirPollutionandEnvironmentalJustice ControllingAirPollution HowtoHelpReduceAirPollution HowtoProtectYourHealth iStock WhatIsAirPollution? Airpollutionreferstothereleaseofpollutantsintotheair—pollutantswhicharedetrimentaltohumanhealthandtheplanetasawhole.AccordingtotheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),eachyearairpollutionisresponsiblefornearlysevenmilliondeathsaroundtheglobe.NineoutoftenhumanbeingscurrentlybreatheairthatexceedstheWHO’sguidelinelimitsforpollutants,withthoselivinginlow-andmiddle-incomecountriessufferingthemost.IntheUnitedStates,theCleanAirAct,establishedin1970,authorizestheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)tosafeguardpublichealthbyregulatingtheemissionsoftheseharmfulairpollutants. WhatCausesAirPollution? “Mostairpollutioncomesfromenergyuseandproduction,”saysJohnWalke,directoroftheCleanAirProject,partoftheClimateandCleanEnergyprogramatNRDC.“Burningfossilfuelsreleasesgasesandchemicalsintotheair.”Andinanespeciallydestructivefeedbackloop,airpollutionnotonlycontributestoclimatechangebutisalsoexacerbatedbyit.“Airpollutionintheformofcarbondioxideandmethaneraisestheearth’stemperature,”Walkesays.“Anothertypeofairpollution,smog,isthenworsenedbythatincreasedheat,formingwhentheweatheriswarmerandthere’smoreultravioletradiation.”Climatechangealsoincreasestheproductionofallergenicairpollutants,includingmold(thankstodampconditionscausedbyextremeweatherandincreasedflooding)andpollen(duetoalongerpollenseason).“We’vemadeprogressoverthelast50yearsimprovingairqualityintheUnitedStatesthankstotheCleanAirAct,”saysKimKnowlton,seniorscientistanddeputydirectoroftheNRDCScienceCenter.“Butclimatechangewillmakeitharderinthefuturetomeetpollutionstandards,whicharedesignedtoprotecthealth.” EffectsofAirPollution Theeffectsofairpollutiononthehumanbodyvarydependingonthetypeofpollutantandthelengthandlevelofexposure—aswellasotherfactors,includingaperson’sindividualhealthrisksandthecumulativeimpactsofmultiplepollutantsorstressors. SmogandsootThesearethetwomostprevalenttypesofairpollution.Smog(sometimesreferredtoasground-levelozone)occurswhenemissionsfromcombustingfossilfuelsreactwithsunlight.Soot(alsoknownasparticulatematter)ismadeupoftinyparticlesofchemicals,soil,smoke,dust,orallergens—intheformofeithergasorsolids—thatarecarriedintheair.Thesourcesofsmogandsootaresimilar.“Bothcomefromcarsandtrucks,factories,powerplants,incinerators,engines,generallyanythingthatcombustsfossilfuelssuchascoal,gas,ornaturalgas,”Walkesays.Smogcanirritatetheeyesandthroatandalsodamagethelungs,especiallythoseofchildren,seniorcitizens,andpeoplewhoworkorexerciseoutdoors.It’sevenworseforpeoplewhohaveasthmaorallergies:theseextrapollutantscanintensifytheirsymptomsandtriggerasthmaattacks.Thetiniestairborneparticlesinsoot,whethergaseousorsolid,areespeciallydangerousbecausetheycanpenetratethelungsandbloodstreamandworsenbronchitis,leadtoheartattacks,andevenhastendeath.In2020areportfromHarvard’sT.H.ChanSchoolofPublicHealthshowedCOVID-19mortalityratesinareaswithmoresootpollutionwerehigherthaninareaswithevenslightlyless,showingacorrelationbetweenthevirus’sdeadlinessandlong-termexposuretofineparticulatematterandilluminatinganenvironmentaljusticeissue.Becausehighwaysandpollutingfacilitieshavehistoricallybeensitedinornexttolow-incomeneighborhoodsandcommunitiesofcolor,thenegativeeffectsofthispollutionhavebeendisproportionatelyexperiencedbythepeoplewholiveinthesecommunities.In2019theUnionofConcernedScientistsfoundthatsootexposurewas34percenthigherforAsianAmericans,onaverage,thanforotherAmericans.ForBlackpeople,theexposureratewas24percenthigher;forLatinos,23percenthigher. Hazardousairpollutants Anumberofairpollutantsposeseverehealthrisksandcansometimesbefataleveninsmallamounts.Almost200ofthemareregulatedbylaw;someofthemostcommonaremercury,lead,dioxins,andbenzene.“Thesearealsomostoftenemittedduringgasorcoalcombustion,incinerating,or—inthecaseofbenzene—foundingasoline,”Walkesays.Benzene,classifiedasacarcinogenbytheEPA,cancauseeye,skin,andlungirritationintheshorttermandblooddisordersinthelongterm.Dioxins,moretypicallyfoundinfoodbutalsopresentinsmallamountsintheair,canaffecttheliverintheshorttermandharmtheimmune,nervous,andendocrinesystemsaswellasreproductivefunctions.Mercuryattacksthecentralnervoussystem.Inlargeamounts,leadcandamagechildren’sbrainsandkidneys,andevenminimalexposurecanaffectchildren’sIQandabilitytolearn.Anothercategoryoftoxiccompounds,polycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAHs),areby-productsoftrafficexhaustandwildfiresmoke.Inlargeamountstheyhavebeenlinkedtoeyeandlungirritation,bloodandliverissues,andevencancer.Inonestudy,thechildrenofmothersexposedtoPAHsduringpregnancyshowedslowerbrain-processingspeedsandmorepronouncedsymptomsofADHD. Greenhousegases Bytrappingtheearth’sheatintheatmosphere,greenhousegasesleadtowarmertemperatures,whichinturnleadtothehallmarksofclimatechange:risingsealevels,moreextremeweather,heat-relateddeaths,andtheincreasedtransmissionofinfectiousdiseases.In2018carbondioxideaccountedfor81percentofthecountry’stotalgreenhousegasemissions,andmethanemadeup10percent.“Carbondioxidecomesfromcombustingfossilfuels,andmethanecomesfromnaturalandindustrialsources,includinglargeamountsthatarereleasedduringoilandgasdrilling,”Walkesays.“Weemitfarlargeramountsofcarbondioxide,butmethaneissignificantlymorepotent,soit’salsoverydestructive.”Anotherclassofgreenhousegases,hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs),arethousandsoftimesmorepowerfulthancarbondioxideintheirabilitytotrapheat.InOctober2016morethan140countriesreachedanagreementtoreducetheuseofthesechemicals—whicharefoundinairconditionersandrefrigerators—anddevelopgreeneralternativesovertime.ThoughPresidentTrumpwasunwillingtosignontothisagreement,abipartisangroupofsenatorsoverrodehisobjectionsin2020andsettheUnitedStatesontracktoslashHFCsby85percentby2035.AccordingtoDavidDoniger,seniorstrategicdirectorofNRDC’sClimateandCleanEnergyprogram,“theagreed-toHFCphasedownwillavoidtheequivalentofmorethan80billiontonsofcarbondioxideoverthenext35years.” Pollenandmold Moldandallergensfromtrees,weeds,andgrassarealsocarriedintheair,areexacerbatedbyclimatechange,andcanbehazardoustohealth.Thoughtheyaren’tregulatedandarelessdirectlyconnectedtohumanactions,theycanbeconsideredaformofairpollution.“Whenhomes,schools,orbusinessesgetwaterdamage,moldcangrowandcanproduceallergenicairbornepollutants,”Knowltonsays.“Moldexposurecanprecipitateasthmaattacksoranallergicresponse,andsomemoldscanevenproducetoxinsthatwouldbedangerousforanyonetoinhale.”Pollenallergiesareworseningbecauseofclimatechange.“Labandfieldstudiesareshowingthatpollen-producingplants—especiallyragweed—growlargerandproducemorepollenwhenyouincreasetheamountofcarbondioxidethattheygrowin,”Knowltonsays.“Climatechangealsoextendsthepollenproductionseason,andsomestudiesarebeginningtosuggestthatragweedpollenitselfmightbebecomingamorepotentallergen.”Ifso,morepeoplewillsufferrunnynoses,fevers,itchyeyes,andothersymptoms.Airpollutionisnowtheworld’sfourth-largestriskfactorforearlydeath.AccordingtothemostrecentStateofGlobalAirreport—whichsummarizesthelatestscientificunderstandingofairpollutionaroundtheworld—4.5milliondeathswerelinkedtooutdoorairpollutionexposuresin2019,andanother2.2milliondeathswerecausedbyindoorairpollution.“Despiteimprovementsinreducingglobalaveragemortalityratesfromairpollution,theworld’smostpopulouscountries,IndiaandChina,continuetobearthehighestburdensofdisease,”saysVijayLamaye,staffscientistattheNRDCScienceCenter.“Thisreportisasoberingreminderthattheclimatecrisisthreatenstoworsenairpollutionproblemssignificantlyifwefailtoacttocutcarbonpollution.” ViewthispostonInstagramApostsharedbyNRDC(@nrdc_org) AirPollutionintheUnitedStates SomefouroutoftenU.S.residents—135millionpeople—liveincountieswithunhealthylevelsofairpollution,accordingtothe2021StateoftheAirreportbytheAmericanLungAssociation(ALA).Sincetheannualreportwasfirstpublished,in2000,itsfindingshaveshownhowtheCleanAirActhasbeenabletoreduceharmfulemissionsfromtransportation,powerplants,andmanufacturing.Recentfindings,however,reflecthowclimatechange–fueledwildfiresandextremeheatareaddingtothechallengesofprotectingpublichealth.Thelatestreport—whichfocusesonozone,year-roundparticlepollution,andshort-termparticlepollution—alsofindsthatpeopleofcolorare61percentmorelikelythanwhitepeopletoliveinacountywithafailinggradeinatleastoneofthosecategories,andthreetimesmorelikelytoliveinacountythatfailsinallthree.InrankingsforeachofthethreepollutioncategoriescoveredbytheALAreport,Californiacitiesoccupythetopthreeslots(i.e.,werehighestinpollution)despitesignificantgainstheGoldenStatehasmadeinthepasthalf-century.Attheotherendofthespectrum,Burlington,Vermont;Honolulu;andWilmington,NorthCarolina,consistentlyrankamongthecountry’sbestcitiesforairquality.(Youcanchecktheairqualityofyourowncityorstateonthismap.) AirPollutionandEnvironmentalJustice Noonewantstolivenextdoortoanincinerator,oilrefinery,port,toxicwastedump,orotherpollutingsite.Yetmillionsofpeoplearoundtheworlddo,andthisputsthematamuchhigherriskforrespiratorydisease,cardiovasculardisease,neurologicaldamage,cancer,anddeath.IntheUnitedStates,peopleofcolorare1.5timesmorelikelythanwhitestoliveinareaswithpoorairquality,accordingtotheALA.Historically,racistzoningpoliciesandthediscriminatorylendingpracticesknownasredlininghavecombinedtokeeppollutingindustriesandcar-chokedhighwaysawayfromwhiteneighborhoodsandhaveturnedcommunitiesofcolor—especiallypoorandworking-classcommunitiesofcolor—intosacrificezoneswhereresidentsareforcedtobreathedirtyairandsufferthemanyhealthproblemsassociatedwithit.Inadditiontotheincreasedhealthrisksthatcomefromlivinginsuchplaces,membersofthesecommunitiesexperienceeconomicharmintheformofmissedworkdays,highermedicalcosts,andlocalunderinvestment.Environmentalracismisn'tlimitedtocitiesandindustrialareas.Outdoorlaborers,includingtheestimatedthreemillionmigrantandseasonalfarmworkersintheUnitedStates,areamongthemostvulnerabletoairpollution—andalsoamongtheleastequipped,politically,topressureemployersandlawmakerstoaffirmtheirrighttobreathecleanair.Recently,cumulativeimpactmapping,whichusesdataonenvironmentalconditionsanddemographics,hasbeenabletoshowhowsomecommunitiesareoverburdenedwithlayersofissues,likehighlevelsofpoverty,unemployment,andpollution.ToolsliketheEnvironmentalJusticeScreeningMethodandtheEPA’sEJSCREENprovideevidenceofwhatmanyenvironmentaljusticecommunitieshavebeenexplainingfordecades:thatweneedland-useandpublichealthreformstoensurethatvulnerableareasarenotoverburdenedandthatthepeoplewhoneedresourcesmostarereceivingthem. ControllingAirPollution IntheUnitedStates,theCleanAirActhasbeenacrucialtoolforreducingairpollutionsinceitspassagein1970,althoughfossil-fuelinterestsaidedbyindustry-friendlylawmakershavefrequentlyattemptedtoweakenitsmanyprotections.Ensuringthatthisbedrockenvironmentallawremainsintactandproperlyenforcedwillalwaysbekeytomaintainingandimprovingourairquality.Butthebest,mosteffectivewaytocontrolairpollutionistospeedupourtransitiontocleanerfuelsandindustrialprocesses.Byswitchingovertorenewableenergysources(suchaswindandsolarpower),maximizingfuelefficiencyinourvehicles,andreplacingmoreandmoreofourgasoline-poweredcarsandtruckswithelectricversions,we'llbelimitingairpollutionatitssourcewhilealsocurbingtheglobalwarmingthatheightenssomanyofitsworsthealthimpacts.Andwhatabouttheeconomiccostsofcontrollingairpollution?AccordingtoareportontheCleanAirActcommissionedbyNRDC,theannualbenefitsofcleanerairareupto32timesgreaterthanthecostofclean-airregulations.Thosebenefitsincludeupto370,000avoidedprematuredeaths,189,000fewerhospitaladmissionsforcardiacandrespiratoryillnesses,andneteconomicbenefitsofupto$3.8trillionfortheU.S.economyeveryyear. HowtoHelpReduceAirPollution “Thelessgasolineweburn,thebetterwe’redoingtoreduceairpollutionandharmfuleffectsofclimatechange,”Walkesays.“Makegoodchoicesabouttransportation.Whenyoucan,walk,rideabike,ortakepublictransportation.Fordriving,chooseacarthatgetsbettermilespergallonofgas,orchooseanelectriccar.”Youcanalsoinvestigateyourpowerprovideroptions—youmaybeabletorequestthatyourelectricitybesuppliedbywindorsolar.Buyingyourfoodlocallycutsdownonthefossilfuelsburnedintruckingorflyingfoodinfromacrossthecountry.Andmostimportant,“Supportleaderswhopushforcleanairandwaterandresponsiblestepsonclimatechange,”Walkesays. HowtoProtectYourHealth “Whenyouseeinthenewsorhearontheweatherreportthatpollutionlevelsarehigh,itmaybeusefultolimitthetimewhenchildrengooutsideoryougoforajog,”Walkesays.Generally,ozonelevelstendtobelowerinthemorning.Ifyouexerciseoutside,stayasfarasyoucanfromheavilytraffickedroads.Thenshowerandwashyourclothestoremovefineparticles.Theairmaylookclear,butthatdoesn’tmeanit’spollutionfree.UtilizetoolsliketheEPA’sairpollutionmonitor,AirNow,togetthelatestconditions.Iftheairqualityisbad,stayinsidewithwindowsclosed.Ifyouliveorworkinanareapronetowildfires,stayawayfromtheharmfulsmokeasmuchasyou’reable.Considerkeepingasmallstockofmaskstowearwhenconditionsarepoor.Wearsunscreen.Whenultravioletradiationcomesthroughtheweakenedozonelayer,itcancauseskindamageandskincancer. ThisstorywasoriginallypublishedonNovember1,2016,andhasbeenupdatedwithnewinformationandlinks. 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