scholarly journals Efficiency in reducing air pollutants and healthcare expenditure in the Seoul Metropolitan City of South Korea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subal C. Kumbhakar ◽  
Jiyeon An ◽  
Masoomeh Rashidghalam ◽  
Almas Heshmati
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Stochastic Frontier ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
World Health ◽  
Equal Distribution ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Metropolitan City

AbstractThis study analyzes efficiency in the reduction of air pollutants and the associated healthcare costs using a stochastic frontier cost function panel data approach. For the empirical analysis, we use monthly data covering 25 districts in the Seoul metropolitan city of South Korea observed over the period January 2010 to December 2017. Our results show large variations in air pollution and healthcare costs across districts and over time and their efficiency in reducing air pollutants. The study concludes that efforts are needed to apply the World Health Organization’s air quality standards for designing and implementing location-specific customized policies for improving the level of air quality and its equal distribution, provision of health services, and improved efficiency in improving air quality standards. The study identifies a number of determinants of air pollutants and efficiency enhancement which provide useful pointers for policymakers for addressing the current environmental problems in South Korea.

scholarly journals Tougher Targets for China’s Clean Air Cities? Implications from Air Quality Assessment in Shenzhen

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dian Huang ◽  
Qinglan Li ◽  
Guangxin Li ◽  
Xiaoxue Wang ◽  
Liqun Sun
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
World Health ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Air Quality Improvement ◽  
Clean Air

Shenzhen is China’s top ten clean air city and the cleanest air megacity. Even so, epidemiologic studies have shown ambient air pollution had significant adverse impacts on human health in this less polluted city. In this study, the concentrations of six criteria air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO) from 2014 to 2017 were analyzed and compared to thresholds of both national and international air quality standards. The results showed concentrations of all air pollutants were below target values of current national air quality standard, but levels of particulate matter (PM) and O3 were still much higher than the recommended levels by the World Health Organization. Within national air quality standards, the number of over-limit days was rare with few variations between highly polluted and low pollution areas. The air quality improvement was slowing down recently. Our results suggest annual and daily thresholds for PM are too loose for air quality improvement in Shenzhen. Hence, we call for evaluation and establishment of tougher air quality standard.

scholarly journals An Assessment of Annual Mortality Attributable to Ambient PM2.5 in Bangkok, Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel R. Fold ◽  
Mary R. Allison ◽  
Berkley C. Wood ◽  
Pham T. B. Thao ◽  
Sebastien Bonnet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
The United States ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air Quality Standards

Multiple studies indicate that PM2.5 is the most deleterious air pollutant for which there are ambient air quality standards. Daily concentrations of PM2.5 in Bangkok, Thailand, continuously exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Thai National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs). Bangkok has only recently begun to measure concentrations of PM2.5. To overcome this paucity of data, daily PM2.5/PM10 ratios were generated over the period 2012–2018 to interpolate missing values. Concentration-response coefficients (β values) for PM2.5 versus non-accidental, cardiopulmonary, and lung cancer mortalities were derived from the literature. Values were also estimated and were found to be comparable to those reported in the literature for a Chinese population, but considerably lower than those reported in the literature from the United States. These findings strongly suggest that specific regional β values should be used to accurately quantify the number of premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 in Asian populations. Health burden analysis using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP) showed that PM2.5 concentration in Bangkok contributes to 4240 non-accidental, 1317 cardiopulmonary, and 370 lung cancer mortalities annually. Further analysis showed that the attainment of PM2.5 levels to the NAAQSs and WHO guideline would reduce annual premature mortality in Bangkok by 33%and 75%, respectively.

scholarly journals Urban Population Exposure to Air Pollution in Europe Over the Last Decades

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Sicard ◽  
Evgenios Agathokleous ◽  
Alessandra De Marco ◽  
Elena Paoletti ◽  
Vicent Calatayud
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
World Health ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Background - The paper presents an overview of air quality in the 27 member countries of the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (previous EU-28), from 2000 to 2017. We reviewed the progress made towards meeting the air quality standards established by the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives (Directive 2008/50/EC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines by estimating the trends (Mann-Kendal test) in national emissions of main air pollutants, urban population exposure to air pollution, and in mortality related to exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5) and tropospheric ozone (O3). Results - Despite significant reductions of emissions (e.g. sulfur oxides: ~80%, nitrogen oxides: ~46%, non-methane volatile organic compounds: ~44%, particulate matters with a diameter lower than 2.5µm and 10µm: ~30%), the EU-28 urban population was exposed to PM2.5 and O3 levels widely exceeding the WHO limit values for the protection of human health. Between 2000 and 2017, the annual PM2.5-related number of deaths decreased (- 4.85 per 106 inhabitants) in line with a reduction of PM2.5 levels observed at urban air quality monitoring stations. The rising O3 levels became a major public health issue in the EU-28 cities where the annual O3-related number of premature deaths increased (+ 0.55 deaths per 106 inhabitants). Conclusions - To achieve the objectives of the Ambient Air Quality Directives and mitigate air pollution impacts, actions need to be urgently taken at all governance levels. In this context, greening and re‐naturing cities can help meet air quality standards, but also answer to social needs, as recently highlighted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

scholarly journals The health benefits of attaining and strengthening air quality standards in Cape Town

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Keen ◽  
K. Altieri
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
National Standard ◽  
World Health ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Exposure Response ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Standard Limit

The link between pollution and poor health and mortality has been established globally. Developing countries carry most of the burden of ill health from air pollution, and urban centres like the City of Cape Town even more so. Effective air quality management to protect human health relies on the attainment of air quality standards. This study uses the Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP) along with a locally derived exposure-response function and air quality monitor data to investigate whether the consistent attainment of current or more stringent air quality standards would avoid loss of life. The results show that attaining the PM10 24-hour mean South Africa National Standard limit and the PM10 and SO2 24-hour mean World Health Organisation guidelines in Cape Town reduces levels of pollutants and does reduce excess risk of mortality in Cape Town.

scholarly journals Urban population exposure to air pollution in Europe over the last decades

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Sicard ◽  
Evgenios Agathokleous ◽  
Alessandra De Marco ◽  
Elena Paoletti ◽  
Vicent Calatayud
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Population ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
World Health ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Background The paper presents an overview of air quality in the 27 member countries of the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (previous EU-28), from 2000 to 2017. We reviewed the progress made towards meeting the air quality standards established by the EU Ambient Air Quality Directives (European Council Directive 2008/50/EC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines by estimating the trends (Mann-Kendal test) in national emissions of main air pollutants, urban population exposure to air pollution, and in mortality related to exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5) and tropospheric ozone (O3). Results Despite significant reductions of emissions (e.g., sulfur oxides: ~ 80%, nitrogen oxides: ~ 46%, non-methane volatile organic compounds: ~ 44%, particulate matters with a diameter lower than 2.5 µm and 10 µm: ~ 30%), the EU-28 urban population was exposed to PM2.5 and O3 levels widely exceeding the WHO limit values for the protection of human health. Between 2000 and 2017, the annual PM2.5-related number of deaths decreased (- 4.85 per 106 inhabitants) in line with a reduction of PM2.5 levels observed at urban air quality monitoring stations. The rising O3 levels became a major public health issue in the EU-28 cities where the annual O3-related number of premature deaths increased (+ 0.55 deaths per 106 inhabitants). Conclusions To achieve the objectives of the Ambient Air Quality Directives and mitigate air pollution impacts, actions need to be urgently taken at all governance levels. In this context, greening and re‐naturing cities and the implementation of fresh air corridors can help meet air quality standards, but also answer to social needs, as recently highlighted by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

scholarly journals Legal regulation of air pollution in urban environments at the level of the European Union

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-91
Author(s):  
Tatjana Bugarski ◽  
Bojan Tubić ◽  
Milana Pisarić
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
European Union ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Air Quality Standards

Air pollution in urban areas is currently one of the major risks to the environment and human health. Directives at the level of the European Union require Member States to monitor and control the concentration of certain pollutants in the air, especially in urban areas. However, despite the fact that there is a legal framework for controlling the concentration of air pollutants, the data show that a number of Member States fail to meet air quality standards, and thus to protect the health of the population. This paper presents individual air quality standards in urban areas at the level of the European Union and analyzes the application of these standards through several examples. In addition, the multiple importance of the control system for the concentration of certain air pollutants in urban areas was pointed out, in terms of the impact of polluted air on human behavior and the growth of crime rates.

Application of Electron Optics to Characterization of Particulate Pollutants

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 364-365
Author(s):  
J. B. Moran ◽  
J. L. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Fuel Additives ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Emission Standards ◽  
Stationary Sources ◽  
Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 provide the basis for a dramatic change in Federal air quality programs. The Act establishes new standards for motor vehicles and requires EPA to establish national ambient air quality standards, standards of performance for new stationary sources of pollution, and standards for stationary sources emitting hazardous substances. Further, it establishes procedures which allow states to set emission standards for existing sources in order to achieve national ambient air quality standards. The Act also permits the Administrator of EPA to register fuels and fuel additives and to regulate the use of motor vehicle fuels or fuel additives which pose a hazard to public health or welfare.National air quality standards for particulate matter have been established. Asbestos, mercury, and beryllium have been designated as hazardous air pollutants for which Federal emission standards have been proposed.

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