How does air pollution affect health?
Air pollution is a serious health threat in California. According to the California Air Resources Board (ARB), over 90 percent of Californians breathe unhealthy levels of one or more air pollutants during some part of the year. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy has also been associated with reduced birthweight, prematurity, and infant death. In children, exposure to air pollution exposure has also been linked to lung function deficits, airway inflammation, asthma, and other acute respiratory diseases. In adults, air pollution is linked to premature death and cardio-respiratory disease. According to ARB, exposure to particulate matter and ozone results in an estimated 8,800 premature deaths and 210,000 cases of asthma and other lower respiratory symptoms annually in California. More details about specific health effects can be found on the ozone, particulate matter, and traffic pollutant pages.
