Chronic exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) may increase seniors’ risk of hospitalization for a variety of cardiovascular conditions, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Chronic exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) may increase seniors’ risk of hospitalization for a variety of cardiovascular conditions, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“The timing of our study couldn’t be more critical, and its implications are profound,” said lead author Yaguang Wei, research associate in the Department of Environmental Health. “Our findings quantify the benefits of implementing stricter air pollution control policies—even stricter than the Environmental Protection Agency’s new standards, which are considerably higher than the 5 micrograms per cubic meter standard set by the World Health Organization.” On Feb. 7, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards, lowering the country’s permissible average annual PM2.5 level from 12 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) to 9 μg/m3.
The study was published online in The BMJ on February 21, 2024.
Read more at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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