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Estimated public health benefits of a low-emission zone in Malmö, Sweden

Flanagan, Erin LU orcid ; Malmqvist, Ebba LU orcid ; Gustafsson, Susanna and Oudin, Anna LU (2022) In Environmental Research 214(4). p.1-9
Abstract
Air pollution is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low-emission zones (LEZ) have been increasingly implemented in cities throughout Europe as a measure to reduce the adverse health effects and premature deaths associated with traffic-related air pollution. In the present study, a health impact analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of a hypothetical LEZ on mortality and morbidity in Malmö, Sweden. Baseline health statistics were gathered from health registers and applied to each resident according to individual-level data on age and/or sex. Concentration-response parameters were derived from current epidemiological literature, specifically meta-analyses. A Gaussian dispersion model (AERMOD) combined... (More)
Air pollution is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low-emission zones (LEZ) have been increasingly implemented in cities throughout Europe as a measure to reduce the adverse health effects and premature deaths associated with traffic-related air pollution. In the present study, a health impact analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of a hypothetical LEZ on mortality and morbidity in Malmö, Sweden. Baseline health statistics were gathered from health registers and applied to each resident according to individual-level data on age and/or sex. Concentration-response parameters were derived from current epidemiological literature, specifically meta-analyses. A Gaussian dispersion model (AERMOD) combined with a detailed emission database was used to calculate NO2 emissions from traffic, which could be applied on an individual-level using data on each person's residential coordinates. The adjusted exposure scenario replaced all vehicles on municipal roads having Euro 5 or lower emission standards with Euro 6 equivalents. This LEZ would, on average, decrease NO2 concentrations by 13.4%, preventing an estimated 9–26 deaths in Malmö each year. Additionally, 12 respiratory disease hospitalizations, 8 childhood asthma cases, and 9 cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were estimated to be avoided annually. These results suggest that LEZs can effectively improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and safeguard public health. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Research
volume
214
issue
4
article number
114124
pages
1 - 9
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:35998694
  • scopus:85137031004
ISSN
1096-0953
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2022.114124
project
Andas frisk luft och höra fågelsång i en tät stad - hur kommer vi dit?
How is our health affected by particles from wood burning?
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
15e8955f-84e8-4b79-aaa0-bb7255003d31
date added to LUP
2022-09-21 15:34:31
date last changed
2023-04-05 21:51:46
@article{15e8955f-84e8-4b79-aaa0-bb7255003d31,
  abstract     = {{Air pollution is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Low-emission zones (LEZ) have been increasingly implemented in cities throughout Europe as a measure to reduce the adverse health effects and premature deaths associated with traffic-related air pollution. In the present study, a health impact analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of a hypothetical LEZ on mortality and morbidity in Malmö, Sweden. Baseline health statistics were gathered from health registers and applied to each resident according to individual-level data on age and/or sex. Concentration-response parameters were derived from current epidemiological literature, specifically meta-analyses. A Gaussian dispersion model (AERMOD) combined with a detailed emission database was used to calculate NO2 emissions from traffic, which could be applied on an individual-level using data on each person's residential coordinates. The adjusted exposure scenario replaced all vehicles on municipal roads having Euro 5 or lower emission standards with Euro 6 equivalents. This LEZ would, on average, decrease NO2 concentrations by 13.4%, preventing an estimated 9–26 deaths in Malmö each year. Additionally, 12 respiratory disease hospitalizations, 8 childhood asthma cases, and 9 cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were estimated to be avoided annually. These results suggest that LEZs can effectively improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and safeguard public health.}},
  author       = {{Flanagan, Erin and Malmqvist, Ebba and Gustafsson, Susanna and Oudin, Anna}},
  issn         = {{1096-0953}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1--9}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Estimated public health benefits of a low-emission zone in Malmö, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.114124}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2022.114124}},
  volume       = {{214}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}