3 30 Ha r m fr o m Toxi c Ch e m i c a l s
Lung (Breathing) Problems
Air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, diesel, and natural gas)
puts many toxic chemicals and harmful particles, like soot and smoke, into the
air we breathe. Air pollution causes serious health problems. According to the
World Health Organization, it kills 3 million people each year.
The two main parts of air pollution are a toxic gas called ozone, and
particulates. Particulates are tiny bits of soot, smoke, metals, chemicals, dust,
water, and rubber from tires. The smallest particles are the most harmful,
because they get deepest into the lungs. Exposure to particulates can cause
asthma and bronchitis attacks, and increases colds, flus, and other respiratory
infections. Ozone is a strong irritant, causing a person’s airways to tighten,
forcing the lungs to work harder, and making existing lung problems worse.
It can also cause headaches, wheezing, chest pain, nausea, and fatigue, and
makes a person more vulnerable to lung infections, including tuberculosis or
pneumonia.
Almost immediately, smoky or dirty air causes eyes to water, a dry throat,
coughing, or wheezing. High levels of air pollution can also damage the lungs.
Pollution can worsen already existing heart problems or lung disease, and
cause the heart and lungs to work harder to supply oxygen to the body,
causing difficulty breathing, fatigue, and chest pain.
Long-term exposure to polluted air makes:
• lungs age more quickly.
• chronic lung diseases develop, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis,
emphysema, and lung cancer.
• people die earlier, most often from heart attack or stroke.
Air pollution is most dangerous for people who already have heart problems
or lung diseases, pregnant women, children under 14 whose lungs are still
developing, and people who work or exercise vigorously outdoors.
Prevention and Treatment
• Stop smoking tobacco.
• Avoid or reduce exposure to cooking smoke, automobile exhaust, and
other chemical fumes.
• Prevent chest infections by hand washing and getting vaccinations.
• Quick-relief medicines for breathing (see asthma treatment) and cough
syrup (see page 477) may be useful.
Some health problems from air pollution are not curable, such as cancers,
emphysema, and asthma, although people can live with these problems for a
long time. Getting away from polluted air can slow the progress of many lung
diseases, but this is not possible for many people.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012