New study examines potential health benefits of reducing emissions

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HEI has published a new Research Report, Estimating Model-Based Marginal Societal Health Benefits of Air Pollution Emission Reductions in the United States and Canada.

For this study, Amir Hakami of Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues estimated potential health benefits associated with reducing emissions from transportation and other sources at locations across the United States and Canada. The investigators estimated the improvement in fine particulate matter concentrations and how many fewer deaths would be expected if fine particulate matter, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide emissions were reduced.

Key findings:

• The greatest estimated benefit came from reducing direct emissions of fine particulate matter.
• The combined mortality burden of all domestic emissions totaled $805 billion US dollars in the United States and $77 billion Canadian dollars in Canada in 2016.
• Climate cobenefits were higher for reducing emissions from diesel compared with gasoline vehicles, and highest for off-road vehicles or engines compared to on-road.
• Targeted reductions of emissions from a relatively small proportion of sources could yield substantial health benefits.

Read the Report