Blueair Describes New UK Study Stating Traffic Pollutants Provoke Asthma in Children as ‘Alarming’

Blueair, a global leader in air cleaning solutions, has described as alarming a recently published study saying there is now sufficient evidence to link traffic pollution to development of childhood asthma. The study by traffic pollution researchers at Leeds University in the United Kingdom harvested data from some 41 epidemiological studies in a number of countries, including the USA, Sweden, Germany, Holland and Britain.

“The study for the first time indicates a clear association between traffic exposure and the onset of asthma, which is alarming in a world where WHO says 90 percent of people are breathing polluted air,” said Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Blueair.

Bengt noted how asthma and allergic rhinitis prevalence has been growing in many countries since the late 1980s. According to WHO, asthma ranks the most common chronic disease among children today and is caused by exposure to irritants ranging from air pollution to indoor allergens such as house dust mites in bedding and carpets, chemicals and air pollution.

The Leeds University scientists said key culprits behind the rising asthma rates in children were PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the air and particularly nitrogen dioxide (NO2) particles, which are emitted by diesel engines. Other recent studies have indicated that exposure to air pollution in childhood can stunt brain development and lung growth.

In their study (Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and risk of development of childhood asthma), the UK researchers concluded that the high degree of consistency in their findings indicated ‘there is now sufficient evidence to support an association between the exposure to TRAP (Traffic Related Air Pollution) and the development of childhood asthma’.

“The impact of indoor and outdoor air pollution on health is so clear that governments everywhere must commit to better informing people of the problems and solutions to breathing cleaner air,” said Bent Rittri.