The exorbitant cost of detailed air pollution in a study

And major economic impact And tens of thousands of chronic diseases that could be avoided by reducing the levels of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide in the ambient air. The results of a new public health study France concerning the effects of ambient air pollution in France hexagonal and in the region have just fallen.
We learn in particular that beyond mortality, exposure to this pollution also has important consequences On the occurrence of chronic respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
The evaluation of this impact on chronic diseases and its economic consequences, the fruit of partnership work, is a first in France.
-Dr Caroline SENAILLE, Director General of Public Health France
The study notes that between 12 and 20 % of new cases of respiratory diseases In children (between 7,000 and almost 40,000 cases, depending on the disease and the pollutant considered) and between 7 and 13 % of new cases of respiratory, cardiovascular or metabolic diseases in adults (between 4,000 and 78 000 cases, according to the disease and the pollutant considered) “are attributable annually to long -term exposure to ambient air pollution in connection with human activities”.
Asthma, stroke, diabetes … The development of eight diseases having a scientifically proven link with exposure to PM2.5 and/or No2 was evaluated in France for the 2016-2019 period.
Also, according to the study, reduce concentrations in PM2.5 and NO2 to levels equivalent to WHO Guide Values would avoid 75 % of these cases of diseases linked to exposure to PM2.5 in connection with human activities and almost 50 % for NO2.
Several tens of billions of euros
We also learn that in France, the exposure of the population to ambient air pollution represents a Annual economic impact in terms of health and well-being for the diseases studied. This impact is estimated to 12.9 billion euros In connection with PM2.5, (fine particles), almost 200 euros per year and per inhabitant, and at 3.8 billion euros for NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), or 59 euros per year and per inhabitant .
According to Public Health France, “If the WHO guides values were respected, these profits would be 9.6 billion euros respectively (or 148 euros per year and inhabitant) and 1.7 billion euros (or 26 euros per year and per inhabitant) ”.
“Everyone is affected by the pollution of the ambient air and its impacts, notes in a press release Caroline SowingDirector General of Public Health France. The evaluation of this impact on chronic diseases and its economic consequences, the fruit of partnership work, is a first in France. These works, the objective of which is to inform and guide the decisions of the authorities at the national and local levels, highlight the health and economic profits of a action collective et durable on improving air quality “.
According to Public Health France, compliance with WHO guides values would ultimately “largely reduce the entire mortality and morbidity attributable to air pollution in France, helping to achieve the objective of ‘Global action plan for the fight against non -transmitted IMS’ diseases’, namely a reduction of a third of the risk of dying from a chronic disease by 2030 “.