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THERE ARE 1,700 new cases of childhood asthma as a result of traffic-pollution in Ireland every year, a new global study has revealed.
A study published in the Lancet Planetary Health Journal reviewed the incidence of asthma in children, which is attributable to traffic-pollution, in 194 countries around the world.
It found the countries with the highest rates of traffic pollution-related asthma cases each year are Kuwait with 550 cases per 100,000 children; the United Arab Emirates with 460 cases per 100,000; and Canada with 450 cases per 100,000.
In Ireland, it identified 1,700 new cases of the disease annually, which is said to be a consequence of pollutants emitted from vehicles.
It means an average of 150 children in every 100,000 here are diagnosed with asthma – which leads to symptoms including difficulty in breathing, as well as wheezing and coughing - as a result of traffic pollution.
The report attributes 9% of asthma incidences in children to traffic pollution, which it measures by the level of exposure to long-term nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - airbound micro-particles released from vehicles.
Figures from the HSE show 470,000 individuals have been diagnosed with the condition and it is the most common respiratory disease in Ireland.
Sarah O’Connor, CEO of the Asthma Society of Ireland, said the report was a huge concern for the charity.
“Today’s research from the Lancet indicates that children are developing asthma as a direct result of traffic pollution and this is a huge concern for us.
“Asthma affects one in 10 adults and one in five children in Ireland. Improving air quality is a top priority for the Asthma Society as we represent the 470,000 people with asthma in Ireland.
“People with asthma are particularly impacted by air pollution and it can cause their condition to escalate. We have been campaigning for years at government level to introduce policy changes to reduce air pollution, including that caused by traffic.”
Pollution
Urban areas were identified as having the highest incidence rate and the report examined preliminary data for four Irish cities – Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
In Dublin, it found 170 children in every 100,000 were diagnosed with the condition; in Galway, 170 in every 100,000 children were diagnosed with asthma; in Cork, 188 in every 100,000 were diagnosed with asthma; and in Limerick, 220 in every 100,000 were diagnosed with asthma.
The EU and World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends NO2 levels should remain below 40ug/m3 to avoid accelerating the risk of developing respiratory diseases.
A 2017 study of air pollution in Ireland by the Environmental Protection Agency, however, found the NO2 levels were, at times, dangerously close to that guideline from the WHO as it climbed to 35 ug/m3.
Worldwide
Globally, the Lancet journal study, carried out by researchers at the George Washington University in the US, found there are 170 new cases of traffic-related asthma per 100,000 children every year.
Meanwhile, 13% of the total number of asthma cases diagnosed each year are attributed to traffic pollution.
Lead author on the report, Ploy Achakulwisut, told TheJournal.ie that change was required at an international level to reduce the number of new asthma cases annually around the world.
“We’ve found that about one in 10 cases of asthma diagnosed and attributed to traffic pollution and the majority of cases occur in urban areas and cities.
“We suggest it’s a worldwide problem that has a significant impact from traffic pollution causing asthma to develop in children.
“It’s a widespread public health issue and action needs to be taken with policy initiatives to improve traffic pollution which relates to a wide range of other adverse health outcomes,” she added.
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Tackling this health issue would involve challenging our society’s dependence on private car use, and there are too few politicians with the backbone to do that.
@Dublin Cycling: Last Monday a proposal to consult the public about safe, traffic-free routes to schools in South Dublin was voted down by Councillors who were more concerned about the loss of car parking spaces.
@Dublin Cycling: Full story about that council vote here: https://dublininquirer.com/2019/04/10/councillors-vote-against-moving-ahead-with-consultation-on-dublin-quietway
Sure. The toxic air is nothing to do with all the radiation around us due to wireless everything. Or nothing to do with the amount of toxins allowed in our food/drinks/meds. Or the pollution falling on us from airlines every day.
@Kath Noonan: you need to think more positively this hour of the morning or be soon you be afraid leave your house in fear the acid in the rain will burn you
@Kath Noonan: You do know there is radiation all around us regardless I’d wireless everything and always has been right?
How do you feel this translates to toxic air can u ask?
@Alan Carthy: Your the one who needs to think about the environment we live in.
@Kath Noonan: The type of radiation emitted by woteless devices is part of the electromagnetic spectrum which includes infrared radiation, visible light, UV and x-rays. … That is the known mechanism by which radiation increases cancer risk. mobiles phones and other wireless tech emit radiation that lacks the energy to alter DNA. Our planet is bombarded by far more harmful radiation from space. Let their be no panic!
@et: I do n I enjoy ever day I have in it
@Kath Noonan:
1st point..probably not.
2nd point definitely so
3rd point if you are talking about chemtrails you are a nutter if you are talking about jet engine exhaust at airports then definitely so but less of a problem with newer cleaner engines. Unfortunately in the Air Corps we had filthy vintage jet engines until very recently.
JetA1 (Kerosene) fuel itself is much more toxic than previously believed (RAAF JFES Study) and jet engines do not burn efficiently at idle and produce huge amounts of unburnt hydrocarbons (USAF Study).
But the effect of diesel exhaust on our populace is massive and the VW diesel cheating scandal is estimated to have caused an extra 6,800 deaths per year in Europe alone.
Congestion charges for city centre areas and no idling zones outside schools.
Bring in hybrid or fully electric busses in towns etc.
And build infrastructure for cycling, waking and electric scooters.
@Dotty Dunleary: Dublin Bus is only allowed to by electric buses from now on.
@Dotty Dunleary: Ban diesels cars and vans from towns and cities NOW and eventually ban diesel busses & trucks too as battery electrical or natural gas versions become mainstream.
@Darren Byrne: Yes but bought 300 diesel only just before the deadline
@Darren Byrne: Took the bus in London where they have the hybrid Busses, so quiet and smooth, the Diesel engine only kicks in when the bus is up to speed…
Take the VRT off the plug in cars and problem solved. Nah to easy for what’s in power.
@Derek Moean: there are vrt reductions for electric and hybrid cars.
So… drive less, or if you must drive electric.
@Thomas McGuire: Screw electric, it will never take off….. hydrogen is the way forward bla bla bla etc etc
@Gavin Conran: Hydrogen? Hah, yeah sure. Toyota Mirai €80k, 500km range, Hydrogen costs much the same as any other fuel.
Tesla Model 3 €54k, 560km range, Electric costs 70% less than any other fuel or hydrogen.
@Thomas McGuire: You do know theres a housing crisis and no real transport infrastructure? (outside of a troop of iron curtain era buses).
@Thomas McGuire: I think Gavin may have been facetious
@thesaltyurchin: It’s possible to address more than one problem at a time.
@Darren Byrne: Never can tell with the journal comments section :)
Some observations: 9% of asthma cases in Ireland attributable to traffic pollution. 13% worldwide – why the difference.
Limerick and cork higher than Dublin despite lower traffic concentration ?
67 cases out of the 150/100,000 occur in Dublin, Cork, Limerick & Galway meaning that over 55% if these traffic pollution related cases occur in predominantly non-urban areas.
I don’t know how accurate this study is going by the excepts above (granted I haven’t read it in detail)
As a general question, are children more sensitive to developing asthma – I.e is it harder to develop as one gets older – you would think that traffic pollution related disorders would increase with exposure. Young children would have very little exposure compared to someone who has been living in a city for 40 years
@Dara O’Brien: I think you might have gotten the wrong end of the stick there. 150/1000 are diagnosed with asthma but in the cities its much higher 170-188. it doesn’t give the rates for rural are but taking a guess base on urban vs rural populations this could be 130/1000. That would be a big difference about 33% more in the cities which would certainly sit with the idea that traffic pollution can cause it. Also you can grow out of asthma as you’re a bit more sensitive to these things as a child. That explains the difference in numbers of children and adults who have it.
@Dara O’Brien: The key to some of your questions will be found by studying the illness cluster at Baldonnel where we suspect colleagues who suffered adult onset asthma & occupational asthma suffered from exposure to jet engine exhaust which contains many of the exhaust components of diesel exhaust.
We have reason to believe there is an cluster of an immune disease causing the illnesses & deaths at Baldonnel but likely in the general population too just at a lower rate. We all got sick as young men and women from horrendous workplace exposure levels where rest of population is suffering same in middle age from day to day environmental exposure.
Suspect indoor air quality is an issue for children off gassing isocyanate plastics, foams, rubbers and insulation. Ever tightening energy ratings mean this is all trapped indoors. Same isocyanate based plastics foams and carpets found in cars. The adulteration of our food with sulphite preservatives, especially hidden sulphites may be playing a part in driving asthma in children too.
Cork is in a hollow surrounded by hills so may trap more gasses when winds are light. Galway has worse traffic than Dublin. Diesel is a huge problem and may be more popular in the regions compared to Dublin.
Here we go again. Blame the cars for everything. Sure make up a new tax while you’re at it there lads. That’ll solve everything
@Alan Lynch: I blame the Cyclists, the amount of pollution they emit from those nasty bicycles!
Electric all the way for me. BOOM!!
Buy more diesel busses and allow multiple private companies to turn all our towns into carparks?… Bit too heavy on the sarcasm maybe.
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