Eight per cent of diabetes mellitus can be atributed to NO2 pollution. Photo: Flickr.com / Alden Chadwick CC BY

Serious health impacts from NO2

A study by the German Environment Agency (UBA) estimates that roughly 6,000 premature deaths in 2014 were due to cardiovascular diseases linked to background concentrations of NO₂ in both rural and urban areas.

The study also shows that NO₂ pollution is associated with diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. For example, eight per cent of the existing cases of diabetes mellitus in Germany in 2014 – about 437,000 cases – were linked to NO₂ exposure in outdoor air. For asthma, the percentage of cases which can be traced to NO₂ pollution is even higher – around 14 per cent, or about 439,000 cases.

Overall nitrogen dioxide pollution in Germany has been decreasing for a number of years, but data for 2017 corroborates that many locations still exceed threshold levels. “One significant cause of harmful nitrous oxides in respiratory air is undoubtedly diesel cars – also on roads with lighter traffic,” said UBA President Maria Krautzberger.

Source: Umweltbundesamt press release, 9 March 2018. Link: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/press/pressinformation/nitrogen-dioxid...

Air qualityGermanyHealth

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Serious health impacts from NO2

In this issue

EU ship sulphur directive scrutinized

Editorial: Everyone's right to clean air

Wind and solar can be integrated into the grid

Renewables are rolling out rapidly

Limits to achieving “4 per 1000” target

Savings threat to a more sustainable agriculture

Eating healthily and sustainably

IMO adopts greenhouse gas strategy for shipping

Diesels in low-emission zones?

CO2 makes up 81 per cent of US greenhouse gases

Germany still constructing new coal power stations

Average CO2 level exceeds 410 ppm for first time

1.5°C target still within reach

New low-emission zones in Sweden

Myths about carbon storage – the Sleipner case

Norweigan CCS hype moves from power to industrial processes

In Breif

Wind and solar cheaper than coal

EU subsidises most-polluting farms

Nitrogen still pollutes European waters

Consultation on 7th EAP

Consultation on Ambient Air Quality Directives

Subsidy-free offshore wind farm

World’s biggest insurer moves away from coal

IMO agrees global high-sulphur fuel ban

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