<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/16/low-emission-zones-successful-cutting-air-pollution-researchers-find>
"Low emission zones are successful at reducing air pollution and its effects on
health, researchers have found.
The team, working for the Belgian mutual health insurer Mutualités Libres, were
looking at the best ways to cut air pollution and its impact on health.
Christian Horemans, part of the research team, said: “The chronic use of
medicines for diabetes, cardiac and breathing problems surged over the 10 years
of our study, with almost twofold increases. Air pollution contributes to this
increase. It has an important impact on public health, but also on health
costs.”
Focusing on the air pollution exposure of 420,000 of Mutualités Libres’s
members, Horemans’s team evaluated the effects of low emission zones in
Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent and found that the zones worked. Air pollution
decreased faster inside the zones compared with other cities in Belgium. This
included particle pollution and nitrogen dioxide. Furthermore, they found that
air pollution gains were not just confined to the zones, they also spilled out
for at least 3 miles (5km).
In addition to the air pollution gains, the use of antidiabetic drugs increased
at a slower rate in the Brussels zone, compared with other cities. These drugs
are used to help lower blood glucose to a healthy range.
Horemans said: “The European Environment Agency estimates that the greatest
health impact from nitrogen dioxide comes from increases in diabetes mellitus.
Further research may confirm whether the effects we observe here for diabetes
are a precursor to possible expected effects on other disease conditions.”
“It is important that the public looks at the benefits of low emission zones in
the long run. The benefits of these zones far outweigh the inconveniences of
their implementation, especially if it leads to clean air for your children and
grandchildren.”"
Via
Positive.News
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
