The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a report stating that prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter in the air can lead to adverse reproductive outcomes, respiratory diseases in children, and arteriosclerosis.
Fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, refers to particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. This WHO report points out that PM2.5 is also related to nervous system development, cognitive development, and diabetes, and further confirms the causal relationship between fine particulate matter and death from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
Particulate matter consists of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, including sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, and other substances. The main sources of anthropogenic particulate matter are exhaust fumes from household heating systems, industrial activities, and vehicles on the road.
The WHO points out that, based on the WHO's 2005 Air Quality Guidelines, more than 80% of Europeans are exposed to excessive amounts of particulate matter, which on average reduces each person's lifespan by 8.6 months.
WHO recommends revising the Particulate Matter Guidelines by 2015 to set stricter exposure values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and to develop long-term average concentration standards for ozone.
This report, titled "A Review of Evidence on Health Effects of Air Pollution," was conducted by the WHO at the request of the European Commission, within the framework of the EU's 2013 air-related policies.
EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik stated, "The EU's air policy must be based on the latest scientific research, which is why we asked the WHO to conduct this study. The study found a link between air pollution and human health, prompting us to expand the implementation of relevant policies." Potočnik declared 2013 the EU's "Year of Air Policy," with the main plan being to highlight the importance of clean air to everyone and focus on improving the overall air quality in the EU.
WHO Regional Director for Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab, stated, "In the past, due to a lack of relevant data, it was impossible to establish air pollution standards and regulations based on the degree of harm to human health. For the first time, the WHO's research over many years has provided a large amount of assessment on diseases caused by particulate matter and has also identified the link between air pollutants and health."
Jakab stated, "We believe that this new understanding will ultimately enable us to formulate more stringent air pollution control policies, further protecting the health of the European people."
The WHO has also recommended changing EU law because the current EU Ambient Air Quality Directive sets PM2.5 exposure limits that are twice as high as the WHO's recommended values in the Air Quality Guidelines.
Health problems caused by particulate matter in the air, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and lung cancer, have long been known. WHO research has also found that long-term exposure to high concentrations of ground-level ozone can cause potentially fatal respiratory diseases and trigger the onset of chronic diseases, leading to death in severe cases.
Sources: Environmental Information Center (2013-01-31)
