Re: Deaths from fossil fuel burning air pollution

["Leo M. Lowe" <llowe@senes.on.ca>]

The recent discussions on this topic have focused on estimates of potential
health impacts from air pollution in the U.S.

However, studies in Europe also point to significant estimated impacts.
According to a recent article in the British Medical Journal on the
beneficial effects of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) (2 December 2000, p.
1367), initial results from a study of eight Italian cities suggest that
4.7% of total mortality - 3500 deaths annually in a population of 11
million - is attributable to air pollution.  Also, researchers in
Switzerland, Austria and France claim that 6% of deaths in these countries
are due to air pollution, amounting to 40,000 deaths annually.

The point of the article is that reducing GHG also results in cleaner air
(lower particulate matter PM), thus producing immediate health benefits  -
not just the long-term benefits of lower GHG levels.  For example, the
cleaner air in the former East Germany has resulted in a reduction in the
prevalence of bronchitis in children in direct relation to the reduced
concentrations of PM.



Leo M. Lowe, Ph.D.
Principal, Senior Health and
Environmental Physicist

SENES Consultants Limited
121 Granton Drive, Unit 12
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Canada L4B 3N4
Tel:	(905) 764-9380
Fax:	(905) 764-9386
email:	llowe@senes.on.ca
WWW:	www.senes.on.ca
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html