Information Effect: Pollution and Salt Lake City

The consistent exposure to air pollution

causes health concerns for not only
individuals with preexisting conditions,
but for everyone who breathes the
polluted air. This began to be noticed
during the 1950s London Fog when
there was an excess of coal burning,
resulting in extremely high levels of air
pollution and therefore a short-term
spike in deaths. People began to realize
this was an issue we needed to do
something about, which was followed
by a series of studies in the United
States (Dr. Scott Weichenthal, The
London Fog).

“Decades of research have shown that air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter (PM)
increase the amount and seriousness of lung and heart disease and other health problems” (EPA
December 2023). Since the 1950s London Fog occurrence, many studies have been conducted
and shown that extended exposure to ozone and PM put individuals at an increase for heart
disease, respiratory issues, and other health concerns.
 Air pollution has plagued society for decades, and we
are seeing “it is a major threat to global health and
prosperity. Air pollution, in all forms, is responsible for
more than 6.5 million deaths each year globally, a
number that has increased over the past two decades”
(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,
January 2024). There are multiple types of air pollution
ranging from “vehicle emissions, fuel oils, natural gas
to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and
power generation, particularly coal-fueled power
plants, and fumes from chemical production are the
primary sources of human-made air pollution”
(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, January 2024).

As shown above particulate pollution or PM, which comes from air pollution is actually more
detrimental to life expectancy than even smoking or alcohol/drug abuse. “Putting that in
perspective, it is worse than first-hand cigarette smoke, alcohol, HIV/AIDS and conflict”
(McCarthy 2018). It seems as though if the state of things persists or continues to worsen,
“researchers state that if the current state of particulate pollution persists, the global population
will lose a total of 12.8 billion years of life” (McCarthy 2018).
 It isn’t uncommon to think of those already at risk
when it comes to pollution, that we if don't have a
preexisting condition we need not worry. However
an article in the World Economic Forum explains
“nobody is safe from air pollution, the United
Nations warned on World Environment Day, with
nine out of 10 people on the planet now breathing
polluted air” (Rowling 2019).

Rowling continues on to explain that “air pollution kills 800 people every hour or 13 every
minute, accounting for more than three times the amount of people who die from malaria,
tuberculosis and AIDS combined each year” (Rowling 2019). In addition Rowling breaks this
down further “air pollution is responsible for 26% of deaths from ischemic heart disease, 24% of
deaths from strokes, 43% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 29% from lung
cancer. In children, it is associated with low birth weight, asthma, childhood cancers, obesity,
poor lung development and autism, among other health defects” (Rowling 2019).
Continued exposure to air pollution can and most likely will affect us in a range of ways. We
continue to see that “The World Health Organization (WHO) provides evidence of links between
exposure to air pollution and type 2 diabetes, obesity, systemic inflammation, Alzheimer’s
disease and dementia. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified air
pollution, in particular PM2.5, as a leading cause of cancer. A recent global review found
that chronic exposure can affect every organ in the body, complicating and exacerbating
existing health conditions” (European Environment Agency, October 2023).

Continued air pollution exposure is fairly common throughout the average lifespan. Effecting us
from birth until we are elderly, with varying health concerns, that can actually shorten the
average lifespan by a noticeable amount over time.
 Studies in the Los Angeles area, which is one of the most heavily polluted regions in the
nation, showed that “the role of air pollution in the development of new cases of asthma. Asthma
is the most common chronic disease in children, affecting about 14 percent of children around
the world, and a major contributing factor to missed time from school and work” (Hopper, 2019).
As we can see asthma, especially in the developing lungs of children poses a real threat to
prolonged health, however a reduction in pollution is also a reduction in asthma issues.
 Salt Lake City is no exception as
pollution levels continue to cause
health concerns on many levels. “As
noted in the research presented
above, short-term exposure to fine
particulate matter is linked to
increased risk for pneumonia, acute
lower respiratory infection, preterm
birth, and suicide (among many
other health risk factors noted in the broader literature)” (Summers, 2018). It is evident that air
pollution is something we all need to be concerned with in order to maintain health and avoid
many linking health concerns.
 Works Cited

“Research on Health Effects from Air Pollution.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2023,
www.epa.gov/air-research/research-health-effects-air-pollution.

“Air Pollution and Your Health.” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2024, www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/air-
pollution#:~:text=PM2.5%20from%20coal%20is,and%20health%20effects%20continually%20a
dvances.

McCarthy, Niall, and Felix Richter. “Infographic: Air Pollution Is the Greatest Human Health
Risk.” Statista Daily Data, 21 Nov. 2018, www.statista.com/chart/16154/average-life-
expectancy-lost-per-person-worldwide/.

Rowling, Megan. “10 Facts about Air Pollution on World Environment Day.” World Economic
Forum, 2019, www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/10-facts-about-air-pollution-on-world-
environment-day/.

“Ηow Air Pollution Affects Our Health.” European Environment Agency’s Home Page, 2023,
www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/air-pollution/eow-it-affects-our-health.

Summers, Laura. “Insight: Utah’s Air Quality: Zeroing in on Health Impacts.” Kem C. Gardner
Policy Institute, 18 Jan. 2024, gardner.utah.edu/blog/blog-utahs-air-quality-zeroing-in-on-health-
impacts/.

Photo Credit: In order of appearance

“Wet Foggy London last Friday” by frenchfinds.co.uk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

“Research on Health Effects from Air Pollution.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2023,
www.epa.gov/air-research/research-health-effects-air-pollution.

“Air Polluted Keys View” by Joshua Tree National Park is marked with Public Domain Mark
10.

McCarthy, Niall, and Felix Richter. “Infographic: Air Pollution Is the Greatest Human Health
Risk.” Statista Daily Data, 21 Nov. 2018, www.statista.com/chart/16154/average-life-
expectancy-lost-per-person-worldwide/.
World Health Organization. “Air Pollution CVD and Stroke Statistics.” American Heart
Association, newsroom.heart.org/ le/infographic-numbers?action=. Accessed 29 Feb.
2024.

“10 Facts about Air Pollution on World Environment Day.” World Economic Forum, 2019,
www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/10-facts-about-air-pollution-on-world-environment-
day/.

“Ηow Air Pollution Affects Our Health.” European Environment Agency’s Home Page, 2023,
www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/air-pollution/eow-it-affects-our-health.

“Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: A Window of Opportunity.” World Heart

Federation, 26 May 2023, world-heart-federation.org/news/air-pollution-and-
cardiovascular-disease-a-window-of-opportunity/.

Hopper, Leigh. “USC Environmental Health Centers.” NEW RESEARCH: Improved Air
Quality Leads to Fewer Kids Developing Asthma in Nation’s Most-Polluted Region -
USC Environmental Health Centers, 2019, envhealthcenters.usc.edu/2019/05/lower-
pollution-less-asthma.html.

Summers, Laura. “Insight: Utah’s Air Quality: Zeroing in on Health Impacts.” Kem C.
Gardner Policy Institute, 18 Jan. 2024, gardner.utah.edu/blog/blog-utahs-air-quality-
zeroing-in-on-health-impacts/.
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