scholarly journals Particulate Pollution and the Productivity of Pear Packers

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Chang ◽  
Joshua Graff Zivin ◽  
Tal Gross ◽  
Matthew Neidell
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Worker Productivity ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
Particulate Pollution ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Sizable Fraction ◽  
Total Welfare

We study the effect of outdoor air pollution on the productivity of indoor workers at a pear-packing factory. Increases in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a pollutant that readily penetrates indoors, leads to significant decreases in productivity, with effects arising at levels below air quality standards. In contrast, pollutants that do not travel indoors, such as ozone, have little, if any, effect on productivity. This effect of outdoor pollution on indoor worker productivity suggests an overlooked consequence of pollution. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the labor savings from nationwide reductions in PM2.5 generated a sizable fraction of total welfare benefits. (JEL D24, J24, L66, Q13, Q51, Q53)

scholarly journals Changes in outdoor air pollution due to COVID-19 lockdowns differ by pollutant: evidence from Scotland

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 798-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruaraidh Dobson ◽  
Sean Semple
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Hourly Data ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesTo examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in March/April 2020 on concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution measured at roadside monitors across Scotland by comparing data with previous years.MethodsPublicly available data of PM2.5 concentrations from reference monitoring systems at sites across Scotland were extracted for the 31-day period immediately following the imposition of lockdown rules on 23 March 2020. Similar data for 2017, 2018 and 2019 were gathered for comparison. Mean period values were calculated from the hourly data and logged values compared using pairwise t-tests. Weather effects were corrected using meteorological normalisation.ResultsNO2 concentrations were significantly lower in the 2020 lockdown period than in the previous 3 years (p<0.001). Mean outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in 2020 were much lower than during the same period in 2019 (p<0.001). However, despite UK motor vehicle journeys reducing by 65%, concentrations in 2020 were within 1 µg/m3 of those measured in 2017 (p=0.66) and 2018 (p<0.001), suggesting that traffic-related emissions may not explain variability of PM2.5 in outdoor air in Scotland.ConclusionsThe impact of reductions in motor vehicle journeys during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions may not have reduced ambient PM2.5 concentrations in some countries. There is also a need for work to better understand how movement restrictions may have impacted personal exposure to air pollutants generated within indoor environments.

scholarly journals Outdoor Air Pollution and Depression in Canada: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study from 2011 to 2016

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2450
Author(s):  
Ashley K. Dores ◽  
Gordon H. Fick ◽  
Frank P. MacMaster ◽  
Jeanne V. A. Williams ◽  
Andrew G. M. Bulloch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Canadian Community Health Survey ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Outdoor Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Health Research

To assess whether exposure to increased levels of outdoor air pollution is associated with psychological depression, six annual iterations of the Canadian Community Health Survey (n ≈ 127,050) were used to estimate the prevalence of a major depressive episode (2011–2014) or severity of depressive symptoms (2015–2016). Survey data were linked with outdoor air pollution data obtained from the Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium, with outdoor air pollution represented by fine particulate matter ≤2.5 micrometers (μm) in diameter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Log-binomial models were used to estimate the association between outdoor air pollution and depression, and included adjustment for age, sex, marital status, income, education, employment status, urban versus rural households, cigarette smoking, and chronic illness. No evidence of associations for either depression outcomes were found. Given the generally low levels of outdoor air pollution in Canada, these findings should be generalized with caution. It is possible that a meaningful association with major depression may be observed in regions of the world where the levels of outdoor air pollution are greater, or during high pollution events over brief time intervals. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to further investigate these associations in other regions and populations.

scholarly journals Toward an Improved Air Pollution Warning System in Quebec

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 2095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Masselot ◽  
Fateh Chebana ◽  
Éric Lavigne ◽  
Céline Campagna ◽  
Pierre Gosselin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Quebec City ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Health Warnings ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Fine Particulate

The nature of pollutants involved in smog episodes can vary significantly in various cities and contexts and will impact local populations differently due to actual exposure and pre-existing sensitivities for cardiovascular or respiratory diseases. While regulated standards and guidance remain important, it is relevant for cities to have local warning systems related to air pollution. The present paper proposes indicators and thresholds for an air pollution warning system in the metropolitan areas of Montreal and Quebec City (Canada). It takes into account past and current local health impacts to launch its public health warnings for short-term episodes. This warning system considers fine particulate matter (PM2.5) as well as the combined oxidant capacity of ozone and nitrogen dioxide (Ox) as environmental exposures. The methodology used to determine indicators and thresholds consists in identifying extreme excess mortality episodes in the data and then choosing the indicators and thresholds to optimize the detection of these episodes. The thresholds found for the summer were 31 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 43 ppb for Ox in Montreal, and 32 μg/m3 and 23 ppb in Quebec City. In winter, thresholds found were 25 μg/m3 and 26 ppb in Montreal, and 33 μg/m3 and 21 ppb in Quebec City. These results are in line with different guidelines existing concerning air quality, but more adapted to the cities examined. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is conducted which suggests that Ox is more determinant than PM2.5 in detecting excess mortality episodes.

scholarly journals Meteorological controls on atmospheric particulate pollution during hazard reduction burns

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Di Virgilio ◽  
Melissa Anne Hart ◽  
Ningbo Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Hazard Reduction ◽  
Particulate Pollution ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Sydney Australia

Abstract. Internationally, severe wildfires are an escalating problem likely to worsen given projected changes to climate. Hazard reduction burns (HRB) are used to suppress wildfire occurrences, but they generate considerable emissions of atmospheric fine particulate matter, which depending upon prevailing atmospheric conditions, can degrade air quality. Our objectives are to improve understanding of the relationships between meteorological conditions and air quality during HRBs in Sydney, Australia. We identify the primary meteorological covariates linked to high PM2.5 pollution (particulates

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document