by Hannah Galpin –
Daily we go about our everyday lives; heat homes, burn fuel, use transportation, eat food from around the globe, use technology and buy clothes manufactured in industrial factories. Have you considered the detrimental impact this has on our children and future generations?
Everyday activities pollute and impact children in unimaginable ways. “Pollution was responsible in 2016 for 940,000 deaths in children, two-thirds under age 5.” [1] Whenever pollution is mentioned we imagine thick black smog covering cities. However, other pollution sources damage our children. Without change, pollution will devastate children’s lives, highlighted in the study ‘Pollution and children’s health’. [1]
Figure 1 Visualization of air pollution caused by transportation. Source: Piovan, C. CC BY-SA 4.0 [6]
Where globally is this happening?
“92% of pollution-related deaths in children occur in low- and middle-income countries.”[1] and “South and South East Asia have suffered worsening air quality in over 70% of poor cities.”[2] demonstrating there is “no escape from dirty air, from morning to night, for hundreds of millions of people.” [3]
Within the UK, pollution has also caused deaths. Ella Kissi-Debrah tragically died in London, 2013. Her “death coincided with one of the worst air pollution surges” [4] within Lewisham. Chemical pollutants “breached legal limits”.[4] Shown in the dramatic visualisation [6] transportation has contributed to the increased chemical pollutants. [6] Without serious interventions pollution related deaths are projected to rise.[1]
Causes of pollution
Factors range from consumer choices to rapid growth of populations. “Globalisation is a powerful driver of increasing concentration of polluting industries in low- and middle-income countries” [1] causing an increased rise in dumping hazardous electronic waste, industrial waste, and toxic chemicals, leading to a rise in mortality rates in children. [1]
Chemical Pollution
Chemical pollution impacts children’s health. “Young children and pregnant women are exposed daily to manufactured chemicals in the air, water, soil, consumer products and food” [1] which can result in leukaemia, damage to lungs and the development of the nervous system. [1]
Why are children susceptible to pollution?
Exposure to pollution from a young age weakens development. [1] A report by the US National Academy of Science [5] highlighted children have greater exposure to pollution because they breathe more air daily than adults. The study [1] stated “Children are unable to rapidly detoxify and excrete many toxic pollutants”[1] Pollution also increases risk of “cardiovascular diseases and increased mortality rate.” [7]
The unborn child
Pollution impacts the unborn child, affecting lung development, birth weight and premature birth. Linking to “increased respiratory symptoms, and the development of childhood asthma.” [8]
The Guardian reported “Air pollution last year caused the premature death of nearly half a million babies in their first month of life.”[3] We can control, mitigate and change this shocking statistic.
Will you make a difference?
“Pollution prevention is a major opportunity to prevent disease and improve children’s health.” [1] Cities now use prevention strategies to benefit short- and long-term health. [9] We need to fundamentally change daily habits by “changing societal patterns of production, consumption and transportation.” [1]
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References
[1] Landrigan, P.J. et al. (2019) Pollution and children’s health. Science of the Total Environment, 650, pp.2389-2394.
[2] Watts, J. (2018) Air Pollution Inequality widens between rich and poor nations. The Guardian Online, 1 May. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/01/air-pollution-inequality-widens-between-rich-and-poor-nations [Accessed 25 November 2020]
[3] Harvey, F. (2020) Polluted air killing half a million babies a year across globe. The Guardian Online, 21 Oct. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/21/polluted-air-killing-half-a-million-babies-a-year-across-globe [Accessed 25 November 2020]
[4] Laville, S. (2020) Landmark Inquest to rule if air pollution killed London Pupil. The Guardian Online, 30 Nov. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/30/landmark-inquest-to-rule-if-air-pollution-killed-london-pupil [Accessed 2 Dec 2020].
[5] National Research Council (1993) Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children. National Academies Press.
[6] Piovan, C. [image] Visualization of air pollution caused by transportation. distributed under CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PM10_.png
[7] Gauderman, W.J. et al. (2015) Association of improved air quality with lung development in children. N Engl J Med, 372, pp.905-913.
[8] Korten, I. et al. (2017) Air pollution during pregnancy and lung development in the child. Paediatric respiratory reviews, 21, pp.38-46.
[9] Grosse, S.D. et al. (2002) Economic gains resulting from the reduction in children’s exposure to lead in the United States. Environmental health perspectives, 110(6), pp.563-569.
