A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found very high increases in mortality among older women exposed to local fine particle pollution. Boston Globe: "Air pollution raises women's heart disease risk, says study" The study: "Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events in Women"
A new study piles more evidence on the dangers of local highway pollution on children's health, specifically lung impairment of those who grow up close to highways. LA Times: "Freeways' tainted air harms children's lungs, experts say" The Guardian: "Living near a motorway damages children's lungs, research reveals"
View map The Metropolitan Area Planning Council 2007 Calendar features a map with the following text... Heavy Traffic Affects Air Quality and Health If you live, work or attend school within 100 yards of a roadway carrying 100,000 or more vehicles per day, you are more likely to suffer from cardiac or pulmonary disease. According to local and national studies, this…
The connection between ultrafine particles (less than 100 billionths of a meter in diameter) and health problems is growing stronger, as shown by various studies and expert speakers at this conference. A study by Rob McConnell of USC showed a 50% increase in asthma for children living within 75 meters of a highway as compared to those living more than 300…
Wig was among eight people selected to speak today at a meeting of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. Afterward, the panel agreed to clarify and stress the seriousness of its prior recommendation to EPA Administer Johnson calling for stricter annual average fine particulate matter standards. (EPA proposed an unchanged annual standard on December 21st despite overwhelming scientific evidence of significant harm to human health at the exposure levels allowed currently.)
"Somerville's air is hazardous to your health" by William C. Shelton
An excellent introduction to all the issues around fine particles and clean air from Harvard Magazine. Clearing the Air: How epidemiology, engineering, and experiment finger fine particles as airborne killers
By Laurie Stillman
During my cab ride home following a surgeon general’s meeting on the environment and health, I asked my driver what he thought about the Big Dig. Clearly angry, he ranted about how he thought it was a big waste of taxpayer money because he had noticed little improvement in traffic flow.
EPA defines EJ as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental Justice Action Plan for Fiscal Years 2005-2005 (PDF)