Re: Deaths from fossil fuel burning air pollution

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Wed, 29 Nov 2000, Jerry Cohen wrote:

> Bernie,
>     I don't really  KNOW  how these victims became seriously ill. Perhaps
> their illness resulted from "pollution", perhaps it was from some other
> cause. However, if you want to know what I believe --- I think that the
> presumption of LNT is nonsense.

	-There is no presumption of LNT in the air pollution estimates

 As is the case with radiation, there is
> likely a threshold for all harmful agents below which there is no effect or
> perhaps even a hormetic (beneficial) effect.

	--I have no reason to doubt that, but it is irrelevant in the
present discussion. The air pollution estimates are only used in the
region where there are lots of direct data giving evidence. There is no
theory involved.

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