Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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number of actions to improve air quality, and there have been decreases in
the concentration of several air quality variables, the improvements in health
cannot be attributed to any one variable or any one change in regulations.
Nevertheless, efforts such as these help to provide blueprints for other geographical locations to modify and adopt. The effort to reduce emissions from
mobile sources appears to be one of the actions that has contributed to the
positive results. Decreases in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5
appear to be important contributing factors in the health results.
A comparison of five emission sources (traffic, coal combustion, diesel
exhaust, wood combustion, and dust) shows that each source of emission has
different properties and therefore implications (Hime et al., 2018). Emissions
from traffic are a major source of small particulates that are less than 100 nm.
Elemental carbon (black carbon) is one of the substances in very small
particulates that is associated with cancer and is a health concern (IARC,
2012). Diesel vehicles are one of the significant sources of elemental carbon
(Hime et al., 2018). Particulate matter from vehicle emissions is known to be
a significant health concern. Coal- fired power plants, by contrast, emit sulfur
dioxide, which forms sulfate particulates in air. Particulates containing sulfur
from coal plants are associated with respiratory mortality (Hime et al., 2018).
Secondary inorganic particulates associated with coal combustion have been
associated with cardio- respiratory health in a number of studies (see review
by Hime et al., 2018).
Emissions from traffic, diesel exhaust, and coal- fired power plants have all
been identified as important sources of PM2.5 that affect health. Emissions
containing particulates with metal content have additionally been found to
impact health in a number of studies (Hime et al., 2018), and coal may have
metal content and be a source of metal oxides in power plant emissions.
Wood burning for heat and cooking has the benefit of being a renewable
resource, but air pollution associated with the emissions is a health issue
(Hime et al., 2018).
In summary, the relative importance and implications of these different
emissions depend on the size of the particulates and their content. The very
small particulates from diesel engines that contain elemental carbon are
known to be associated with health concerns because they find their way into
the lungs and bloodstream. As a general conclusion, though, the implications
of air pollution – across all the variations in content, concentration, and location – are consistently negative and severe.
3.5 Improving Urban Air Quality
There are a number of reasons to address urban air quality, and there are
many ways to improve urban air quality. Some of these options are presented
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32
number of actions to improve air quality, and there have been decreases in
the concentration of several air quality variables, the improvements in health
cannot be attributed to any one variable or any one change in regulations.
Nevertheless, efforts such as these help to provide blueprints for other geographical locations to modify and adopt. The effort to reduce emissions from
mobile sources appears to be one of the actions that has contributed to the
positive results. Decreases in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5
appear to be important contributing factors in the health results.
A comparison of five emission sources (traffic, coal combustion, diesel
exhaust, wood combustion, and dust) shows that each source of emission has
different properties and therefore implications (Hime et al., 2018). Emissions
from traffic are a major source of small particulates that are less than 100 nm.
Elemental carbon (black carbon) is one of the substances in very small
particulates that is associated with cancer and is a health concern (IARC,
2012). Diesel vehicles are one of the significant sources of elemental carbon
(Hime et al., 2018). Particulate matter from vehicle emissions is known to be
a significant health concern. Coal- fired power plants, by contrast, emit sulfur
dioxide, which forms sulfate particulates in air. Particulates containing sulfur
from coal plants are associated with respiratory mortality (Hime et al., 2018).
Secondary inorganic particulates associated with coal combustion have been
associated with cardio- respiratory health in a number of studies (see review
by Hime et al., 2018).
Emissions from traffic, diesel exhaust, and coal- fired power plants have all
been identified as important sources of PM2.5 that affect health. Emissions
containing particulates with metal content have additionally been found to
impact health in a number of studies (Hime et al., 2018), and coal may have
metal content and be a source of metal oxides in power plant emissions.
Wood burning for heat and cooking has the benefit of being a renewable
resource, but air pollution associated with the emissions is a health issue
(Hime et al., 2018).
In summary, the relative importance and implications of these different
emissions depend on the size of the particulates and their content. The very
small particulates from diesel engines that contain elemental carbon are
known to be associated with health concerns because they find their way into
the lungs and bloodstream. As a general conclusion, though, the implications
of air pollution – across all the variations in content, concentration, and location – are consistently negative and severe.
3.5 Improving Urban Air Quality
There are a number of reasons to address urban air quality, and there are
many ways to improve urban air quality. Some of these options are presented