London, March 05: Lowering air pollution in main cities of 12 European countries may save 19,000 lives each year and add in average about two years to the life span of the inhabitants.
Previous studies have also shown that air pollution not only increases the risk of developing childhood asthma but also reduces the effectiveness of medications in treating the condition.
a three-year probe conducted by a team of 60 scientists coordinated by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, studied the effects of air pollution on heath in 25 major cities in the European Union.
Figures revealed that Stockholm is the only European city with pollution levels below the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (10 micrograms per cubic meter for particulate pollution).
Bucharest, on the other hand, with 38.2 micrograms of particulate pollution is the most polluted city in the scale. Budapest with 33.7 and Barcelona with 27 micrograms of particulate pollution per cubic meter took the next titles.
Despite the general belief, London (13.1 micrograms per cubic meter), Paris (16.4 micrograms) and Rome (21.4 micrograms) had a fine particulate level.
Fine particulates are tiny airborne grains caused largely by vehicle exhaust and can be drawn deep into the lungs, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
“In 10 European cities we have estimated that living near busy roads could be responsible for 15 percent of asthma in children and possibly for similar or higher percentages of other common chronic diseases in adults 65 and over, such as coronary heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,”
The study found that lowering air pollution in these European cities could annually save USD 43.4 billion (31.5 billion euros) through preventing health consequences secondary to the condition.
——–Agencies