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Tuesday,
June 10, 1997
REGION'S BAD AIR KILLS 130 YEARLY
And it hospitalizes another 300, MOEE stats show
Mark McNeil
The Hamilton Spectator
New
statistics suggest air pollution in Hamilton-Wentworth causes
the premature death of 130 people and hospitalizes another
300 each year.
The
conclusion on death rates — from the Ministry of Environment
and Energy led Hamilton-Wentworth Air Quality Initiative
— is several times greater than a previous calculation
by the MOEE last year. And it's the first time statistics
have been releas ed about the number of hospitalizations.
Last
August, MOEE chief of air quality assessment Denis Corr
said the best available evidence indicated that 20 to 25
people die annually from fine particle pollution in Hamilton-Wentworth.
But now, after looking at the data in greater detail with
McMa ster University air pollution scientist David Pengelly,
he feels the number is much higher.
"Essentially,
it is the result of a more in-depth analysis," he says.
"And the higher number is more in line with what the environment
minister says."
Environment
and Energy Minister Norm Sterling contends that as many
as 1,800 people die prematurely from air pollution every
year in Ontario. He bases the figure on scientific studies,
mostly by Health Canada scientist Rick Burnett, linking
air pollution to premature death.
The
local air quality initiative has been calculating death
and hospitalization statistics as part of a major study
of air pollution in the region. The initiative has representatives
from all levels of government, McMaster University, as well
as industry and other stakeholders. The initiative began
18 months ago and a final report is expected by the fall.
Pengelly,
of the Institute of Environment and Health at McMaster University,
was the primary investigator in coming up with the statistics.
He looked at 1992, which he feels is reflective of the situation
today, and found that 85 people died prematurely from particulate
matter pollution, including fine particles called PM-10
(particles of less than 10 microns) and sulphates (particles
formed from sulphur dioxide emissions). He says that 192
others were treated at hospital because of particulate matter
pollution.
Pengelly
contends five people died prematurely of ground-level ozone
pollution and there were 40 hospital admissions. Sulphur
dioxide led to 40 deaths and 28 hospital admissions. He
believes nitrogen oxides led to 25 hospital admissions and
carbon mono xide, 15. He is monitoring death statistics
for nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
Pengelly
looked at mortality rates and hospital admission statistics,
MOEE air monitoring data plus numerous Canadian and American
studies about air pollution and health to come up with the
numbers.
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