Urban air pollution is responsible for over 6,500 deaths in 2002

Air pollution from fine particles in the city have caused between 6,500 and 9,500 deaths in 2002, shows a study of the French Agency for Environmental Health Safety (Afsse).
Pollution and these complications
After eight months of work coordinated by Afsse, groups of independent experts drafted two scientific reports on the health impact of air pollution.

One study has estimated through the available literature, the impact on health of chronic exposure to fine particles, mainly from cars, industrial and heating in the air 76 urban areas of France (50% of the French urban population). The second report lists the measures to reduce the emission of these particles.

In the first 90-page report, experts are interested in the overall mortality of urban populations exposed to these particles, but also to mortality from lung cancer than from heart and respiratory diseases in 2002.

Health impacts were assessed based on exposures measured by monitoring networks of air quality in cities and relationships exhibitions / risks established by international epidemiological studies particles. The method was validated by the World Health Organization (WHO).

6 to 11% of lung cancers attributable to pollution
For 2002, experts estimate that 11% of deaths from lung cancer in 60-69 years are due to fine particles. The least affected age group is 30-59 years in which the 3% of cancer deaths are linked to pollution.

For all persons over 30 years, depending on whether one considers a "optimistic" or "pessimistic" scenario, the proportion of deaths from lung cancer in 2002 due to exposure to particles varies from June to November %.

On mortality associated with cardiopulmonary diseases, the most affected class consists of individuals over 70 years, in which pollution explain up to 6% of these deaths. The least affected age group is that of 60-69 years, where 2% of deaths from cardio-respiratory diseases are attributed to particles.

For over 30 years, pollution is responsible for 7% of deaths from cardio-respiratory disease, in the "pessimistic" scenario.

In total, between 3-5% of deaths (6453-9513 deaths) recorded in 2002 in more than 30 years are attributed to exposure to particulate matter.

Estimate for next year
In a second part of the report, the authors have modeled three possible changes in air quality, within three scenarios more or less restrictive in terms of public policy on the environment.

From the objectives of air quality set by the European Union, they made assumptions about the health consequences due 2010 and during the next 20 years.

Under the assumption of a linear decrease of the annual impacts calculated for 2002, 2010 and 2020, the total over the period 2002 to 2020 the number of deaths due to fine particles is 10 033 for mortality from lung cancer and 49,376 for cardiorespiratory mortality.

Considering exposure and higher risk, that is to say the least restrictive guidelines, the figure rises to 16 814 and 72 454.

The authors believe that the most stringent rules to reduce particulate emissions in the city would avoid in 2020 between 4,409 and 2,698 lung cancer deaths and 20,190 to 13,970 by cardio-respiratory diseases, depending on the model used.

"The scientific evidence for believing that pollution as the cause of a large number of deaths, particularly for specific causes of mortality," the authors conclude.

They believe that the estimated cost of continuing and even strengthening, the policy of reducing air pollution health gain is substantial, thousands of potentially preventable deaths. This "allows us to appreciate the great efforts should be continued in a public health goal."

In the longer term, the authors propose to continue these investigations assessing the potential years of life lost (PYLL) and reduced life expectancy due to this early mortality. Monitor the impact of long-term exposure to ozone is also considered, as well as a more detailed analysis of areas exposed to strong local pollution.

In the second report, the experts recommend to reduce particle pollution, benzene, ozone, and carbon dioxide. This would include equipment to accelerate all heavy vehicles with particle filters and promote this equipment on light vehicles. A lowering of emission targets would be introduced particulate matter, especially affecting diesel engines. Meanwhile transit would be developed.