from Harvard School of Public Health and New England Journal of Medicine
A massive study involving the Medicare
records of sixty million Americans over
sixty-five provides a stronger link
between air pollution and premature
death. The study from Harvard’s School
of Public Health appears in the New
England Journal of Medicine. Key
findings include long-term exposure to
certain air pollutants increases the risk
of death even if the pollution is below
current national standards. Lowering
the levels of one of the pollutants—fine
particulate matter—only slightly could
save an estimated twelve thousand lives
each year. Senior author of the study,
professor Joel Schwartz, says while we
think air quality in this country is good
enough to protect our citizens, the study
shows we need to lower pollution levels
even more.