Air pollution controls implemented under requirements of the Clean Air Act have prevented 55,000 emergency department visits from cardiorespiratory causes in the Atlanta metro area over the period 1999-2013. The health benefits showed up more and more over the time period as more pollution controls were implemented.
During 2012-2013 when the controls had the longest time to be in place and pollution reduction was the most, emergency department visits due to asthma were reduced by 16.5%, 5.9% for other respiratory illnesses, and 2.3% for cardiovascular diseases.
The pollution controls reduced concentrations for nine pollutants even though population increased by 24% during the time period. In other words, air pollution was reduced at the same time the region was growing, a real benefit. The nine pollutants were fine particulates (PM2.5), ozone, nitrogen oxides (NO2 and NO3), sulfur dioxide and sulfate (SO2 and SO4), carbon monoxide, elemental carbon, and organic carbon.
This study shows how pollution controls really help keep people healthy. And remember it only studied emergency department visits, it doesn’t include hospitalizations, office visits, or missed work or school that didn’t require a health care visit.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412018328046
