Image: Northwestern University
Even as the current U.S. presidential administration is slashing regulations and funding for reducing air pollution and protecting public health, a new English study found that long-term exposure to diesel exhaust particulate matter at levels far below EPA standards can cause enlargement of the heart, which is associated with increased heart disease and deaths.
“There is strong evidence that particulate matter (PM) emitted mainly from diesel road vehicles is associated with increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, and death” Dr. Nay Aung, Queen Mary University of London
Lead researcher Dr. Nay Aung said that reducing diesel emissions should be a public health priority. She recommended that people with cardiac and respiratory diseases limit time spent outside during rush hour and that everyone reduce their exposure to diesel exhaust by bicycling and walking on less-polluted routes and as far from traffic as possible.