QUANTIFYING SHORT AND LONG-TERM IMPACT OF PARTICULATE POLLUTION IN EUROPE

Abstract

ISEE-538 Introduction: Our programme aims to provide European decision makers, environmental-health professionals and the general public with up-to-date information on air pollution (AP) and public health (PH). For this purpose, we deliver standardised, periodic reports based on health impact assessments (HIAs) in 26 cities in 12 European countries. We describe here an example of the short- and long-term findings of the HIA we conducted. Methods: We developed our own guidelines for data collection and analysis, using the PSAS-9 programme for attributable-cases calculations and the AirQ-WHO software for years of life lost (YoLL) calculations. We estimated the acute impact of PM10 and Black smoke (BS) on premature mortality using the most recent European exposure-response functions (ERFs). For the chronic impact of PM10 and PM2.5 on premature mortality we used Kunzli’s 200011 and Pope’s 20022 ERFs respectively. For the purpose of HIA, PM automatic measurements were converted by a local or European correction factor. We performed the present HIA for different scenarios on the potential health benefits of reducing fine particulate levels. Results: The total population covered in this HIA includes nearly 39 million inhabitants. Black smoke (BS) measurements were provided by 15 cities, Athens showing the highest mean BS levels (77 μg/m3). PM10 measurements were provided by 23 cities, in most of the cities, mean values fall below 50 μg/m3. PM2.5 measurements were provided by 12 cities, mean values are below 20 μg/m3. In the city of Madrid for e.g., in terms of life expectancy, all other things being equal, if annual mean PM2.5 levels (18.6 μg/m3) would be reduced to 15 μg/m3, the 51.4 years of life expectancy in a person of 30 years would be increased by 0.2 years, due to reduced risk of death from all causes. Discussion: In addition to the number of attributable cases, our HIA has produced YoLL findings for long-term exposure to fine particulates, contributing to a better quantification of the impact of AP on PH in Europe. With our monitoring system, we will continue to keep the information we provide as up-to-date and accurate as possible. 1) Künzli N, Kaiser R, Medina S et al. Public-health impact of outdoor and traffic-related air pollution: a European assessment. The Lancet 2000; 356:795-801; 2) Pope A, Burnett R. Thun M et al. Lung cancer, cardiopulmonary mortality, and long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution. JAMA. 2002; 287:1132-1141.