If governments want to reduce the cost of health care, then air pollution must be reduced. And air pollution can only be reduced when we stop burning fossil fuels.  Air pollution causes early deaths around the world and raises health care costs.  A new report describes how it causes the deaths of up to 50,000 people a year in England.

More could be done to prevent the early deaths of up to 50,000 people each year hastened by air pollution, [UK] MPs say. A Commons Environmental Audit Committee report said failure to reduce pollution had put an “enormous” cost on the NHS and could cost millions in EU fines.  It said the UK should be “ashamed” of its poor air quality which was contributing to conditions such as asthma, heart disease and cancer.  The government accepted more could be done and would consider the report.. . .

Pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and “particulate matter” – tiny particles – from transport and power stations have been blamed for contributing to early deaths.   Particulate matter is estimated to reduce people’s lives by an average seven to eight months, while in pollution hotspots vulnerable residents, such as those with asthma, could be dying up to nine years early, the report says.. . . .

Air pollution also leads to damage to wildlife and agriculture, with ground-level ozone estimated to reduce wheat yields in the south of Britain by 5% to 15%.  EAC chairman Tim Yeo said: “Air pollution probably causes more deaths than passive smoking, traffic accidents or obesity, yet it receives very little attention from government or the media.”

Why isn’t this reported by the media? Particulate matter and other pollutants come primarily from coal and the burning of fossil fuels.

It sounds like the British media is as pathetic in reporting the effects of global warming, fossil fuel burning and pollution as the U.S. media is.

In the United States,  air quality has improved from the 1960s, but there is still a negative health effect.  It’s estimated in reports that there are 24,000 coal-related deaths and a total of 60,000 air pollution impacted deaths in the United States, out of 2.5 million deaths from any cause.  About 3-4% of all deaths in the United States each year  are due to air pollution.

LONG-TERM EXPOSURES — American Cancer Society Cohort Study: This study of half a million people in 100 American cities over 16 years has been audited, replicated, re-analyzed, extended and ultimately reconfirmed. The latest results show that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter is associated with premature death from cardio-respiratory causes and lung cancer. Increased risk of premature death is evident at concentrations below current standards.

Harvard Six Cities Study: This long-term cohort study has also been subject to an independent audit, review, and re-analysis and the original findings have been confirmed: long term exposure to fine particle pollution shortens lives and contributes to an increased risk of early death from heart and lung disease, even at [...]