Air pollution leads to thousands of deaths each year: study

We’re getting a better understanding of just how dangerous air pollution is.

New research shows exposure to air pollution is leading to nearly 8,000 deaths every year.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) looked at the mortality in just over seven million Canadians over the past 25 years. The study was published Thursday in a Health Effects Institute report.

It found long-term exposure to particulate matter was found to be the most harmful when combined with other pollutants, like ozone.

But even low concentrations were discovered to increase the risk of death in people who have illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, or a respiratory disease like COPD.

“While Canada has some of the best air quality in the world, this is compelling evidence of the harmful effects of air pollution at levels below current standards and guidelines,” said Michael Brauer, the study’s lead author.

“These findings suggest important health benefits could be gained from continued reductions in air pollution and more stringent regulatory standards both here at home and around the world.”

Researchers looked at satellite data, air monitor sampling, and atmospheric modelling across Canada from 1981 to 2016. The resulting analysis showed there were “vast differences in Canadians’ exposure to fine particulate matter depending on where they lived.”

The study showed fine particulate matter was “significantly higher” in the country’s largest cities compared to rural areas, with the highest concentrations per year observed in Toronto, Vancouver, Hamilton, and Quebec City from 1981 to 1990.

However, researchers note air pollution levels declined over the latter 15 years of the 25 years reviewed, with the highest levels recorded in the first decade of the study period.

Despite the decline, Brauer, who is also a professor at UBC’s school of Population and Public Health, says the study’s findings “suggest that even low levels of long-term exposure can have serious impacts on a person’s health.”


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Long-term exposure was found to increase the risk of premature death, the study adds, citing Health Canada estimates that “air pollution contributes to 15,300 premature deaths each year.”

“In recent years, we’ve also seen a concerning uptick in air pollution due to climate change and increasing wildfire events, which threatens a lot of this progress,” Brauer said.

“If we take what we now know about the risk from low levels of pollution and extend it worldwide, whereas before we were estimating about four million annual deaths from air pollution, that number increases by another 1.5 million,” he added.

Despite air quality standards adopted by the Canadian government over the years, Brauer notes concentration levels remain much too hi

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