Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

Yes, air pollution has a significant impact on the health of metropolitan residents. Although air quality is slowly improving, air pollution is still the greatest environmental health hazard in our region. The latest European Environment Agency report (EEA, 2018) states that air pollution is directly responsible for more than 500,000 premature deaths in Europe per year. 

NO₂ and PM pollution thresholds set by the EU and the World Health Organisation are exceeded in the metropolitan area and pose a major threat to public health. 

The European Environment Agency and the World Health Organisation have identified pollution’s impact on the central nervous system (PM); asthma and reduced lung function (PM); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PM); the reproductive system (PM); the liver, spleen and blood (NO₂); lung cancer (NO₂ and BaP); cardiovascular effects (PM, SO₃, O₃), etc.

High air pollution has a direct impact on people’s health, which the scientific community has quantified at more than 3,000 premature deaths per year in the metropolitan area. A report on the state of health in Barcelona showed that lung cancer is now the leading cause of premature death among women. It also reported that 70 % of the population was exposed to NO₂ levels higher than those recommended by the WHO and the EU.

The evidence linking health and pollution has gathered pace in recent years. More specifically, studies show a connection between air pollution and various diseases:

• A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a research centre sponsored by ‘la Caixa’ Banking Foundation, says that expanding bike lane networks in cities could bring considerable health and economic benefits. In particular, expanding bike lanes in European cities might avert up to 10,000 premature deaths. In Barcelona, 248 premature deaths would be prevented each year if all the city’s streets were fitted with bike facilities.
• A study by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), the Hospital del Mar and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) found that high pollution levels increase the risk of atherothrombotic stroke by 20 %.
• Experts from the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus and CIBER’s Cardiovascular Diseases Unit (CIBERCV) have found (study) that there are more heart attacks on days with higher air pollution levels in the Barcelona metropolitan area.
• The Lancet Commission on pollution and health reported that pollution caused 23,987 deaths in Spain in 2015, which means 1 death out of every 17. Full article
• A large-scale epidemiological study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a research centre sponsored by ‘la Caixa’ Banking Foundation, and the American Cancer Society links some air pollutants with mortality due to kidney, bladder and colorectal cancer. The research tracked more than 600,000 adults for 22 years (from 1982 to 2004) and related mortality due to 29 types of cancer with residential exposure to three environmental pollutants: PM_2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃).
• A study by ISGlobal in Barcelona reports that a 5 ?g/m³ in PM₁₀ in the air breathed leads to the loss of almost one year of life (Environment International, 2016).
• The BREATHE Project, found an adverse effect on the development of children experiencing pollution in schools and higher rates of hyperactivity and attention deficit among teenagers (Environment International, 2016).
• Air pollution is the cause of a number of brain disorders such as strokes and cardiovascular accidents (WHO), degenerative diseases (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2015) and an array of mental health problems (JAMA Psychiatry, January 2013).
• There is plenty of evidence for its adverse effects on the respiratory system, including lung cancer (WHO), pneumonia (WHO), various lung diseases (Thorax, 2009, 64) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (WHO).
• Several studies note its impact on the reproductive system (CREAL-ISGlobal) and on coronary heart disease (Circulation, 2010; WHO).

The AMB has a number of general recommendations for the public if there is a pollution episode:

1. Move around on foot or by bike and use streets with less traffic.
2. Use public instead of private transport.
3. If you have no choice but to use your private vehicle, share it with other people or combine it with public transport.
4. If you exercise outdoors, do so when the traffic isn’t as heavy.
5. Adjust home air-conditioning and heating to avoid needless cooling or warming.
6. Ventilate your home at times when there is less traffic on your street.
7. When driving, pull away and brake gently to reduce the emission of polluting particulate matter.
8. Make sure your tyres are at the right pressure, as this cuts particle emissions.

Notwithstanding the problems resulting from air pollution, it is medically advisable to regularly do sports such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and so on. The benefits of doing sport outweigh the potential harm from exposure to polluted air.