Health hazard due to fine dust remains high

Health hazard due to particulate matter in Germany remains high: Fine dust is one of the important reasons why Pollution on health problems can lead.

The Federal Environment Agency announced on Wednesday in Dessau that the pollution with particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in areas close to the city and urban centers is still above the limit values. Especially in Stuttgart, the values ​​are very high.
Fine dust is dangerous for our health because the very fine dust particles can not be absorbed by our filter systems in the nose and throat. This will allow them to reach the lungs and cause discomfort and illness. The smaller the particles, the deeper they can penetrate into the lung tissue. There they can lead to an increased number to so-called pneumoconiosis. They can also lead to asthmatic complaints, inflammation, degeneration of the tissue (cancer) and other respiratory diseases. It is still being discussed whether the smallest particles are able to pass into the blood. There are also indications of links to cardiovascular diseases and influences on brain function.

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that the average life expectancy of people living in Germany is reduced by 10.2 months due to particulate matter pollution. Compared to the whole of Europe we are not so good, because there are on average only 8.6 months. The EU Commission estimates that there are approximately 310,000 deaths from particulate matter in Europe every year.

Where is the fine dust??

The Federal Environment Agency states 2007 values ​​for the individual areas. They show that industry generated the largest proportion of particulate matter in Germany at 38 percent. Traffic is only in third place with 20 percent. Private households is in between with 25 percent.

Above all, cities and agglomerations in which limit value overruns would occur. The President of the Federal Environment Agency, Jochen Flasbarth, fears that, in view of the trend to be followed since 2000, the limits of Germany can not be met again this year. A first measure should now be the use of binders that keep the asphalt moist and keep the particulate matter on the ground. But these funds are very expensive and a kind of fire policy. The environmental zones, for example, are already more effective and cheaper: they were able to reduce the values ​​in Berlin by up to 3 percent in some cases.

Meaningful countermeasures

Permanently, the environmental impact of particulate matter will lead to more and more health problems. Since it is appropriate to tackle the largest Feinstauberverursacher, so the industry, and there to throttle the values. The expansion of public transport with emission-free trams is also a good measure.

The fine dust pollution by traffic and in the private household can affect everyone easily and cost-effectively. When driving: Simply drive as little as possible and stay little in the city. In confined spaces, the large sources of fine dust are, for example, laser printers, copiers, smoke from cigarettes and vacuum cleaners that do not have a filter.

The findings from the results of the Federal Environmental Agency is quite simple and should be the guideline for the countermeasures: Clean air is a piece of quality of life and promotes good health. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy 22. 01. 2010)

Additional information

Environmental protection is health protection
Press information of the Federal Environment Agency