Pollution
By Don Smolenski, Contributing Editor | TLT Machinery October 2023
Many premature deaths globally are caused by pollution.
In June of 2023 in southeast Michigan, we experienced extremely hazy air caused by soot from Canadian wildfires. It was a serious issue resulting in alerts that the air quality was dangerous for the higher risk population (people with heart or lung issues, immune compromised people, the elderly, etc.). It was unhealthy, though, for the entire population. Fortunately, it only lasted a few weeks. People in many areas live with this, and other types of pollution, every day, and it is taking its toll. Air, water and occupational pollution was responsible for 15% of all deaths globally in 2017.
1,2 2019 is even more dire.
Table 1 shows the top 10 countries for total premature pollution-related deaths. India and China lead with the most deaths. Very surprisingly, the U.S., with the world’s third largest population at 325 million, cracks the top 10 with nearly 200,000 pollution-related deaths.
Table 1. Top 10 countries with premature pollution-related deaths2
Table 2 shows the top 10 countries for pollution-related deaths per 100,000 population. Many of the top 10 countries are poorer, smaller countries, but some are larger and more affluent. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health concluded that one in six deaths globally are caused by pollution, and ambient air pollution is the leading cause of death. Air pollution, both ambient and indoor, was deemed responsible for half of the pollution-related deaths in the U.S. in 2017. According to Dr. Jack Caravanos, professor at NYU College of Global Public Health, “Pollution doesn’t get the resources commensurate with the impact. It is difficult to trace deaths to pollution because there are so many types and end results.”
Table 2. Top 10 countries for pollution-related deaths per 100,000 population2
Pollution also is complicit in disability impacts, and these are undercounted. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) is an internationally recognized measure of overall disease burden. Currently, there are 275 million DALYs. Pollution of all types is claimed to cause 21% of deaths from cardiovascular disease, 26% from ischemic heart disease, 23% of stroke deaths, 51% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths and 43% of lung cancer deaths. Pretty concerning! Look for more detail on the types of pollution and the diseases they cause in a future column.
REFERENCES
1.
Hogue, C. (May 23, 2022), “Pollution kills 9 million people a year, report says,”
Chemical and Engineering News, American Chemical Society. Available
here.
2.
“New Report, Pollution and Health Metrics: Global, Regional and Country Analysis,” Global Alliance on Health and Pollution. Available
here.
Don Smolenski is president of his own consultancy, Strategic Management of Oil, LLC, in St. Clair Shores, Mich. You can reach him at donald.smolenski@gmail.com.