Death Risk from Air Pollution

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The College of London looked at death rates and compared them to black smoke and sulphur dioxide environmental exposure for the years 1982 through 1998. They found that black smoke and sulphur dioxide levels decreased by five and four times respectively during those years. However the death rates attributable to black smoke increased from 10% to 19% during the study and from 10% to 20% for sulphur dioxide. The study underwent critical statistical review and the results stood.

It is theorized that there may be other more potent pollutants that are not measured that could be causing the increase in death rates or they could be acting in synchrony with the existing pollutants thereby being more lethal.

Authors note: Whether you get second hand smoke from cigarettes or industrial pollution in the air, or increased ozone levels form global warming, or carcinogens in the water, each and everyone of us has a responsibility to try to change it for our children and grand-children.