Our Nation’s Air3Health and Environ

Our Nation’s Air
3
Health and Environmental Impacts
Air pollution can affect our health in many ways.
Numerous scientific studies have linked air pollution to
a variety of health problems including: (1) aggravation
of respiratory and cardiovascular disease; (2) decreased
lung function; (3) increased frequency and severity of
respiratory symptoms such as difficulty breathing and
coughing; (4) increased susceptibility to respiratory
infections; (5) effects on the nervous system, including
the brain, such as IQ loss and impacts on learning,
memory, and behavior; (6) cancer; and (7) premature
death. Some sensitive individuals appear to be at greater
risk for air pollution-related health effects, for example,
those with pre-existing heart and lung diseases
(e.g., heart failure/ischemic heart disease, asthma,
emphysema, and chronic bronchitis), diabetics, older
adults, and children.
Air pollution also damages our environment. For
example, ozone can damage vegetation, adversely
impacting the growth of plants and trees. These impacts
can reduce the ability of plants to uptake carbon
dioxide (CO
2
) from the atmosphere and indirectly
affect entire ecosystems.