North Carolina’s Lower Death Rates Due to Pneumonia Linked To Stricter Air Pollution Control Policies

July 16, 2014- Air pollution, which contributes to asthma, emphysema, and heart disease poses a risk to people worldwide. Now some good news can be found in all the smog: A study led by Duke University researchers finds air pollution controls enacted in North Carolina during the early 1990s coincide with decreasing death rates from emphysema, asthma, and pneumonia.

“By following levels of air pollution and respiratory health over time, we could measure changes prior to and after implementation of these policies,” said Dr. H. Kim Lyerly, a professor of surgery, associate professor of pathology, and assistant professor of immunology at Duke.

More than 20 years ago, national requirements lowered emissions from automotive engines, chemical plants, and coal-fired power plants, while targeting emissions that might contribute to acid rain and depletion of the ozone layer. More recently, in 2002, North Carolina passed a state law that mandated significant reductions in emissions from coal-fired power plants. Together, both federal and state measures were designed to decrease airborne compounds considered to play a role in an estimated 1.4 percent of deaths worldwide. Considering the clean air regulations, the team of researchers found that improved air quality was, in fact, linked to reduced rates of death from respiratory diseases.

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