Childhood asthma linked to traffic pollution

New research from the University of Leeds highlights the impact of air pollution on childhood asthma.  The study published in Environment International looked at traffic, emissions, atmospheric dispersion and health impact assessments in the city of Bradford in the UK.  The results indicated that up to 38% of all childhood asthma cases in Bradford may be attributable to traffic pollution.

The models used in the study meant the team were able to chart how much air pollution is present in the city and how much of that is due to road traffic.  Professor John Wright, Director of the Bradford Institute for Health Research said, “ This important study adds to the overwhelming evidence that our pollution is harming our children.  The air in our cities has become a tragedy of the commons whereby a common good is being poisoned by collective neglect.  The good news is that we can all save lives by driving less and using cleaner fuels.” 

NOTE:  Environment International is a peer reviewed scientific journal covering environmental science and health.