Key studies on air pollution and health effects near high-traffic areas

Compiled by the Environmental Law and
Policy Center and the Sierra Club

 
Air pollution from busy roads linked to shorter life spans for nearby residents

    Dutch researchers looked at the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollutants on 5,000 adults. They found that people who lived near a main road were almost twice as likely to die from heart or lung disease and 1.4 times as likely to die from any cause compared with those who lived in less-trafficked areas. Researchers say these results are similar to those seen in previous US studies on the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution. The authors say traffic emissions contain many pollutants that might be responsible for the health risks, such as ultrafine particles, diesel soot, and nitrogen oxides, which have been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory problems.

    Hoek, Brunekreef, Goldbohn, Fischer, van den Brandt. (2002). Association between mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the Netherlands: a cohort study. Lancet, 360 (9341): 1203-9.

Truck traffic linked to childhood asthma hospitalizations

    A study in Erie County, New York (excluding the city of Buffalo) found that children living in neighborhoods with heavy truck traffic within 200 meters of their homes had increased risks of asthma hospitalization. The study examined hospital admission for asthma amongst children ages 0-14, and residential proximity to roads with heavy traffic.

    Lin, Munsie, Hwang, Fitzgerald, and Cayo. (2002). Childhood Asthma Hospitalization and Residential Exposure to State Route Traffic. Environmental Research, Section A, Vol. 88, pp. 73-81.

Pregnant women who live near high traffic areas more likely to have premature and low birth weight babies

    Researchers observed an approximately 10-20% increase in the risk of premature birth and low birth weight for infants born to women living near high traffic areas in Los Angeles County. In particular, the researchers found that for each one part per million increase in annual average carbon monoxide concentrations where the women lived, there was a 19% and 11% increase in risk for low birth weight and premature births, respectively.

    Wilhelm, Ritz. (2002). Residential Proximity to Traffic and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Los Angeles County, California, 1994-1996. Environmental Health Perspectives. doi: 10.1289/ehp.5688.

Traffic-related air pollution associated with respiratory symptoms in two year old children

    This cohort study found that two year old children who are exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollution are more likely to have self-reported respiratory illnesses, including wheezing, ear/nose/throat infections, and reporting of physician-diagnosed asthma, flu or serious cold.

    Brauer et al. (2002). Air Pollution from Traffic and the Development of Respiratory Infections and Asthmatic and Allergic Symptoms in Children. Am J Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Vol. 166 pp 1092-1098.

People who live near freeways exposed to 25 times more particle pollution

    Studies conducted in the vicinity of Interstates 405 and 710 in Southern California found that the number of ultrafine particles in the air was approximately 25 times more concentrated near the freeways and that pollution levels gradually decrease back to normal (background) levels around 300 meters, or 990 feet, downwind from the freeway. The researchers note that motor vehicles are the most significant source of ultrafine particles, which have been linked to increases in mortality and morbidity. Recent research concludes that ultrafine particles are more toxic than larger particles with the same chemical composition. Moreover, the researchers found considerably higher concentrations of carbon monoxide pollution near the freeways.

    Zhu, Hinds, Kim, Sioutas. Concentration and size distribution of ultrafine particles near a major highway. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association. September 2002. Zhu, Hinds, Kim, Shen, Sioutas. Study of ultrafine particles near a major highway with heavy-duty diesel traffic. Atmospheric Environment. 36(2002), 4323-4335.

Asthma more common for children living near freeways.

    A study of nearly 10,000 children in England found that wheezing illness, including asthma, was more likely with increasing proximity of a child's home to main roads. The risk was greatest for children living within 90 meters of the road.

    Venn et al. (2001). Living Near A Main Road and the Risk of Wheezing Illness in Children. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Vol. 164, pp 2177-2180.

    A study of 1,068 Dutch children found that asthma, wheeze, cough, and runny nose were significantly more common in children living within 100 meters of freeways. Increasing density of truck traffic was also associated with significantly higher asthma levels - particularly in girls.

    van Vliet et al. (1997). Motor exhaust and chronic respiratory symptoms in children living near freeways. Environmental Research. 74:12-132.

Children living near busy roads more likely to develop cancer

    A 2000 Denver study showed that children living within 250 yards of streets or highways with 20,000 vehicles per day are six times more likely to develop all types of cancer and eight times more likely to get leukemia. The study looked at associations between traffic density, power lines, and all childhood cancers with measurements obtained in 1979 and 1990. It found a weak association from power lines, but a strong association with highways. It suggested that benzene pollution might be the cancer promoter causing the problem.

    Pearson et al. (2000). Distance-weighted traffic density in proximity to a home is a risk factor for leukemia and other childhood cancers. Journal of Air and Waste Management Association 50:175-180.

Most traffic-related deaths due to air pollution, not traffic accidents

    Another study analyzed the affect of traffic-related air pollution and traffic accidents on life expectancy in the area of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. It estimated that 4,325 deaths in this region would result from motor vehicle emissions compared to 891 from traffic accidents (over a lifetime).

    Szagun and Seidel. (2000). Mortality due to road traffic in Baden-Aurttemberg - air pollution, accidents, noise. Gesundheitswesen. 62(4): 225-33.

Emissions from motor vehicles dominate cancer risk

    The most comprehensive study of urban toxic air pollution ever undertaken shows that motor vehicles and other mobile sources of air pollution are the predominant source of cancer-causing air pollutants in Southern California. Overall, the study showed that motor vehicles and other mobile sources accounted for about 90% of the cancer risk from toxic air pollution, most of which is from diesel soot (70% of the cancer risk). Industries and other stationary sources accounted for the remaining 10%. The study showed that the highest risk is in urban areas where there is heavy traffic and high concentrations of population and industry.

    South Coast Air Quality Management District. Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study-II. March 2000.

Cancer risk higher near major sources of air pollution, including highways

    A 1997 English study found a cancer corridor within three miles of highways, airports, power plants, and other major polluters. The study examined children who died of leukemia or other cancers from the years 1953-1980, where they were born and where they died. It found that the greatest danger lies a few hundred yards from the highway or pollution facility and decreases as you get away from the facility.

    Knox and Gilman (1997). Hazard proximities of childhood cancers in Great Britain from 1953-1980. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 51: 151-159.

A school's proximity to freeways associated with asthma prevalence

    A study of 1498 children in 13 schools in the Province of South Holland found a positive relationship between school proximity to freeways and asthma occurrence. Truck traffic intensity and the concentration of emissions measured in schools were found to be significantly associated with chronic respiratory symptoms.

    Speizer, F. E. and B. G. Ferris, Jr. (1973). Exposure to automobile exhaust. I. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms and disease. Archives of Environmental Health. 26(6): 313-8. van Vliet, P., M. Knape, et al. (1997). Motor vehicle exhaust and chronic respiratory symptoms in children living near freeways. Environmental Research. 74(2): 122-32.

Lung function reduction among children more likely if living near truck traffic

    A European study determined that exposure to traffic-related air pollution, 'in particular diesel exhaust particles,' may lead to reduced lung function in children living near major motorways.

    Brunekreef B; Janssen NA; de Hartog J; Harssema H; Knape M; van Vliet P. (1997). “Air pollution from truck traffic and lung function in children living near motor-ways.” Epidemiology. 8(3):298-303.

Asthma symptoms caused by truck exhaust

    A study was conducted in Munster, Germany to determine the relationship between truck traffic and asthma symptoms. In total, 3,703 German students, between the ages of 12-15 years, completed a written and video questionnaire in 1994-1995. Positive associations between both wheezing and allergic rhinitis and truck traffic were found during a 12 month period. Potentially confounding variables, including indicators of socio-economic status, smoking, etc., did not alter the associations substantially.

    Duhme, H., S. K. Weiland, et al. (1996). The association between self-reported symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis and self-reported traffic density on street of residence in adolescents. Epidemiology 7(6): 578-82.

Proximity of a child's residence to major roads linked to hospital admissions for asthma

    A study in Birmingham, United Kingdom, determined that living near major roads was associated with the risk of hospital admission for asthma in children younger than 5 years of age. The area of residence and traffic flow patterns were compared for children admitted to the hospital for asthma, children admitted for nonrespiratory reasons, and a random sample of children from the community. Children admitted with an asthma diagnosis were significantly more likely to live in an area with high traffic flow (> 24,000 vehicles/ 24 hours) located along the nearest segment of main road than were children admitted for nonrespiratory reasons or children form the community.

    Edwards, J., S. Walters, et al. (1994). Hospital admissions for asthma in preschool children: relationship to major roads in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Archives of Environmental Health. 49(4): 223-7.

Exposure to carcinogenic benzene higher for children living near high traffic areas

    German researchers compared forty-eight children who lived in a central urban area with high traffic density with seventy-two children who lived in a small city with low traffic density. They found that the blood levels of benzene in children who lived in the high-traffic-density area were 71% higher than those of children who lived in the low-traffic-density area. Blood levels of toluene and carboxyhemoglobin (formed after breathing carbon monoxide) were also significantly elevated (56% and 33% higher, respectively) among children regularly exposed to vehicle emissions. Aplastic anemia and leukemia are associated with excessive exposure to benzene.

    Jermann E, Hajimiragha H, Brockhaus A, Freier I, Ewers U, Roscovanu A: Exposure of children to benzene and other motor vehicle emissions. Zentralblatt fur Hygiene und Umweltmedizin 189:50-61, 1989.