ozone and fine dust diseases diseases of the heart, stroke, chronic lung, lung cancer, lower respiratory tract infections as well as Diabetes can trigger and lead to premature deaths. This was the major conclusion of a new study by the environmental research Institute of the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
Therefore, about 3.4 million people died worldwide in 2015 as a result of air pollution. 11 percent, or 385 000 of these early deaths were caused by exhaust fumes from the traffic.
most people were affected in China, where, according to the calculations is 114’000 people diseases have succumbed to, which are caused by exhaust gases. Also in India, the USA and Germany, from cars, polluted air for many premature deaths is responsible. Switzerland ends up with 830 cases on the 45. Ranking of 184 countries studied, i.e. in the forward quarter.
In a comparison of the EU and Efta States, Switzerland is ranked 13 of 32 in the front half. Ireland, for instance, reported only half the number of deaths due to traffic exhaust emissions, the Scandinavian countries only about a quarter as many. A deep air pollution, according to the study, Malta and Iceland, where there was only 8 or 3 deaths.
Much more meaningful these Numbers are, however, when set into relation to the inhabitants. Based on the size of the population, more people die nowhere to be early, traffic exhaust fumes, as in Belarus and Germany. To 100’000 German 17 of such death cases. In Switzerland it is 10 per 100’000 persons. With this mortality rate, which is almost twice as high as the global average, lands in Switzerland on the 21. Rank in the world.
it is striking that the first 20 places in the Rankings – with the exception of Singapore – are exclusively occupied by European countries, where many people in busy cities, living in a confined space. One of the main reasons why they are exposed to bad air, is vehicles, according to the ICCT, the high proportion of diesel. This poking, especially a lot of fine dust and nitrogen oxide, which in turn is a Precursor for ozone and particulate matter.
diesel vehicles in the global average, nearly half of those deaths – in Switzerland, even for three-quarters. Behind it, construction and agricultural machines, other vehicles on the Road (with a fuel other than Diesel), and ships to follow.
the study by the ICCT, which was involved in 2013 was instrumental to the discovery of the diesel scandal, worked together with researchers from the George Washington University and the University of Colorado Boulder. Together, they brought together data on the emissions of vehicles with models to common diseases, to determine the health impact of traffic on different levels.
The researchers also calculated how much money is lost by the economies due to the premature death. Worldwide, there were in the year 2015, more than 860 billion euros. In Germany alone, the societal harm amounted to 97 billion euros, or nearly 3 per cent of gross national income.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 01.03.2019, 15:15 PM
