France: Air Pollution Responsible for Thousands of Severe Diseases

Long-term exposure to polluted air places a significant burden on both health and the economy, causing tens of thousands of new cases of respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases each year in France, according to a study published on Wednesday by the Public Health Authority.
-
30% of Global Plastic Pollution is caused by “Car Tires”
-
High pollution in the seine river threatens Paris Olympics
During a press conference, Sylvia Medina, coordinator of the Air and Health program at Santé publique France, stated that “long-term exposure to polluted air poses a major burden on health and the economy in France.”
The Authority conducted an assessment covering the period from 2016 to 2019, the first of its kind, to quantify the impact of ambient air pollution on the occurrence of eight diseases directly linked to exposure to fine particles, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
-
Study: Air pollution may be a significant cause of dementia
-
Air pollution levels in China have risen for the first time in 10 years, according to a recent study
The study examined lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, and other acute lower respiratory infections (excluding influenza), as well as stroke, acute myocardial infarction, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
According to the Authority, between 12% and 20% of new cases of respiratory diseases in children (equivalent to 7,000 to 40,000 cases) and between 7% and 13% of new cases of respiratory, cardiovascular, or metabolic diseases in adults (equivalent to 4,000 to 78,000 cases) are attributable to this pollution, regardless of the disease or the specific pollutant involved.
The Authority, in collaboration with several partners, emphasized that tens of thousands of diseases could be prevented by reducing levels of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide in ambient air.
-
Study – Air pollution worsens children’s symptoms
-
Massive Wildfires: A Worrisome Mystery for Scientists
The study estimates that lowering pollutant concentrations to the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) could prevent 75% of diseases linked to PM2.5 fine particles and around 50% of cases related to nitrogen dioxide exposure.
It also highlights that nearly 30,000 new cases of asthma among children aged 0 to 17 could be avoided.