Scientists uncover critical flaw in decades-old approach to public health research: 'Current approaches have not done a good job'

The public health risks caused by air pollution have likely been underestimated for decades, a new study finds.

What's happening?

The Washington Post reports on a new study from Johns Hopkins University researchers that looked at the cumulative effects of toxic air pollutants. This differs from most research on the topic, which has traditionally studied the pollutants on an individual basis.

That traditional approach is flawed, researchers found, as people don't just breathe in one toxin at a time. When they breathe the air around them, they take in all of the toxins that have polluted that air and face the cumulative effects of those pollutants.

This is particularly true for vulnerable populations who may live near factories or other businesses that pump out a high number of pollutants.

"Very little has happened to protect these people," study author Keeve Nachman told the Post. "And one of the major reasons for that is that current approaches have not done a good job showing they're in harm's way."

Why is this important?

Understanding the actual risks associated with air pollution is key to understanding the damage done by industries that keep spewing these toxins into our atmosphere.

We already know that manufacturing is a major driver of the overheating planet. The industry was reportedly responsible for one-quarter of all carbon pollution in 2022. When these polluting gases are released, they help trap the sun's heat, causing the planet to warm.

But this study may shine a new light on how damaging these gases are to our health. Because not only have previous studies typically looked at the effects of just one toxin on our health, but many guidelines and regulations are based on the effects of just one toxin on just one part of our bodies.

When assessing risk from formaldehyde, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency only looks at its effects on the respiratory system. The Johns Hopkins researchers found that the toxin causes potential health impacts in many other bodily systems, including neurological and reproductive.

What's being done about this?

EPA officials didn't comment to the Post about the study, and chemical trade group spokespeople told the newspaper that further study and validation are needed before any action would be taken.

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But conservationists believe this study is enough to sound the alarm bells and that it should prompt immediate changes to the way risks are assessed for vulnerable populations.

"The authors of this paper powerfully demonstrate how EPA has repeatedly underestimated the true health risks for people living in the shadow of industrial polluters," Environmental Integrity Project Executive Director Jen Duggan told the Post.

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