To: Governor Andrew Cuomo
Protect Everyone from Traffic Pollution
We want physical barriers and vegetative filters to be a leading concern in all roadway design and maintenance.
We want this because traffic pollution is associated with:
1) Preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnant women), which can result in organ damage and even death of mother or child (Pereira, et al., 2013).
2) Reduced fetal growth as well as increased post-birth weight gain, making it a possible contributor to the obesity epidemic (Fleisch, et al. 2015).
3) Autism (Volk, et al., 2013).
4) Attention problems like attention deficit disorder (Perera, et al. 2012a).
5) Lower I.Q.’s in children (Perera, et al. 2009).
6) Anxiety, and depression in children (Perera, et al. 2012b).
7) Inner ear infections (Brauer, et al., 2006).
8) Flexural eczema (a skin condition) (Lee et al. 2008).
9) Decreased kidney function (Lue et al., 2013).
10) Asthma (Oyana and Lwebuga-Mukasa 2004, Lwebuga-Mukasa, J. S. 2003, and Lwebuga-Mukasa, J. S., 2004)
11) COPD, and bronchitis (Lindgren, et al., 2009).
12) Childhood cancer (Heck, et al., 2013 and Ghosh, et al., 2013)
13) Lung cancer (Raaschou-Nielsen et al., 2011).
14) Breast cancer (Hystad, et al., 2015).
15) Prostrate cancer (Parent, et al., 2013).
16) Lower cognitive function and cognitive decline in the elderly (Tonne, et al. 2014).
17) Cardiovascular disease leading to premature death (Brook, et al. 2010).
References:
Baldauf, R., Thoma, E., Khlystov, A., Isakov, V., Bowker, G., Long, T., & Snow, R. (2008). Impacts of noise barriers on near-road air quality. Atmospheric Environment, 42(32), 7502-7507. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.05.051
Brauer, M., Reynolds, C., & Hystad, P. (2013). Traffic-related air pollution and health in Canada. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'association Medicale Canadienne, 185(18), 1557-1558. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.121568
Brook, R. D., Rajagopalan, Sanjay, Pope, rd C. Arden, Brook, Jeffrey R., Bhatnagar, Aruni, Diez-Roux, Ana V., Holguin, Fernando, Hong, Yuling, Luepker, Russell V., Mittleman, Murray A., Peters, Annette, Siscovick, David, Smith, Jr Sidney C., Whitsel, Laurie, & Kaufman, Joel D. (2010). "Particulate matter air pollution and cardiovascular disease: An update to the scientific statement from the American Heart Association." Circulation 121(21): 2331-2378.
Finn, D., Clawson, K. L., Carter, R. G., Rich, J. D., Eckman, R. M., Perry, S. G., . . . Heist, D. K. (2010). Tracer studies to characterize the effects of roadside noise barriers on near-road pollutant dispersion under varying atmospheric stability conditions. Atmospheric Environment, 44(2), 204-214. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.10.012
Fleisch, Abby F., Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L., Koutrakis, Petros, Schwartz, Joel D., Kloog, Itai, Melly, Steven, Coull, Brent A., Zanobetti, Antonella, Gillman, Matthew W., Gold, Diane R., & Oken, Emily (2015). "Prenatal Exposure to Traffic Pollution: Associations with Reduced Fetal Growth and Rapid Infant Weight Gain." Epidemiology 26(1): 43-50.
Fujii, E., Lawton, J., Cahill, Y. A., Barnes, D. E., Hayes, C., Spada, N., & McPherson, G. (2008). Removal Rates of Particulate Matter onto Vegetation as a Functionof Particle Size; Final Report to the Breathe California of Sacramento Emigrant Trails Health Effects Task Force and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.
Ghosh, J. K. C., Heck, J. E., Cockburn, M., Su, J., Jerrett, M., & Ritz, B. (2013). Prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and risk of early childhood cancers. American Journal of Epidemiology, 178(8), 1233.
Heck, Julia E., Wu, Jun, Lombardi, Christina, Qiu, Jiaheng, Meyers, Travis J., Wilhelm, Michelle, Cockburn, Myles, andRitz, Beate. (2013). Childhood cancer and traffic-related air pollution exposure in pregnancy and early life. Environmental health perspectives, 121(11-12), 1385. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1306761
Heist, D. K., Perry, S. G., & Brixey, L. A. (2009). A wind tunnel study of the effect of roadway configurations on the dispersion of traffic-related pollution. Atmospheric Environment, 43(32), 5101-5111. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.06.034
Hystad, P., Villeneuve, P. J., Goldberg, M. S., Crouse, D. L., & Johnson, K. (2015). Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the risk of developing breast cancer among women in eight Canadian provinces: A case–control study. Environment International, 74(0), 240-248. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.09.004
Lindgren, A., Stroh, E., Montnémery, P., Nihlén, U., Jakobsson, K., Axmon, A., . . . Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, L. (2009). Traffic-related air pollution associated with prevalence of asthma and COPD/chronic bronchitis. A cross-sectional study in Southern Sweden. International journal of health geographics, 8(1), 2-2. doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-8-2
Lue, S.-H., Wellenius, G. A., Wilker, E. H., Mostofsky, E., & Mittleman, M. A. (2013). Residential proximity to major roadways and renal function. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 67(8), 629.
Lwebuga-Mukasa,...
We want this because traffic pollution is associated with:
1) Preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnant women), which can result in organ damage and even death of mother or child (Pereira, et al., 2013).
2) Reduced fetal growth as well as increased post-birth weight gain, making it a possible contributor to the obesity epidemic (Fleisch, et al. 2015).
3) Autism (Volk, et al., 2013).
4) Attention problems like attention deficit disorder (Perera, et al. 2012a).
5) Lower I.Q.’s in children (Perera, et al. 2009).
6) Anxiety, and depression in children (Perera, et al. 2012b).
7) Inner ear infections (Brauer, et al., 2006).
8) Flexural eczema (a skin condition) (Lee et al. 2008).
9) Decreased kidney function (Lue et al., 2013).
10) Asthma (Oyana and Lwebuga-Mukasa 2004, Lwebuga-Mukasa, J. S. 2003, and Lwebuga-Mukasa, J. S., 2004)
11) COPD, and bronchitis (Lindgren, et al., 2009).
12) Childhood cancer (Heck, et al., 2013 and Ghosh, et al., 2013)
13) Lung cancer (Raaschou-Nielsen et al., 2011).
14) Breast cancer (Hystad, et al., 2015).
15) Prostrate cancer (Parent, et al., 2013).
16) Lower cognitive function and cognitive decline in the elderly (Tonne, et al. 2014).
17) Cardiovascular disease leading to premature death (Brook, et al. 2010).
References:
Baldauf, R., Thoma, E., Khlystov, A., Isakov, V., Bowker, G., Long, T., & Snow, R. (2008). Impacts of noise barriers on near-road air quality. Atmospheric Environment, 42(32), 7502-7507. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.05.051
Brauer, M., Reynolds, C., & Hystad, P. (2013). Traffic-related air pollution and health in Canada. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal = Journal De L'association Medicale Canadienne, 185(18), 1557-1558. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.121568
Brook, R. D., Rajagopalan, Sanjay, Pope, rd C. Arden, Brook, Jeffrey R., Bhatnagar, Aruni, Diez-Roux, Ana V., Holguin, Fernando, Hong, Yuling, Luepker, Russell V., Mittleman, Murray A., Peters, Annette, Siscovick, David, Smith, Jr Sidney C., Whitsel, Laurie, & Kaufman, Joel D. (2010). "Particulate matter air pollution and cardiovascular disease: An update to the scientific statement from the American Heart Association." Circulation 121(21): 2331-2378.
Finn, D., Clawson, K. L., Carter, R. G., Rich, J. D., Eckman, R. M., Perry, S. G., . . . Heist, D. K. (2010). Tracer studies to characterize the effects of roadside noise barriers on near-road pollutant dispersion under varying atmospheric stability conditions. Atmospheric Environment, 44(2), 204-214. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.10.012
Fleisch, Abby F., Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L., Koutrakis, Petros, Schwartz, Joel D., Kloog, Itai, Melly, Steven, Coull, Brent A., Zanobetti, Antonella, Gillman, Matthew W., Gold, Diane R., & Oken, Emily (2015). "Prenatal Exposure to Traffic Pollution: Associations with Reduced Fetal Growth and Rapid Infant Weight Gain." Epidemiology 26(1): 43-50.
Fujii, E., Lawton, J., Cahill, Y. A., Barnes, D. E., Hayes, C., Spada, N., & McPherson, G. (2008). Removal Rates of Particulate Matter onto Vegetation as a Functionof Particle Size; Final Report to the Breathe California of Sacramento Emigrant Trails Health Effects Task Force and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.
Ghosh, J. K. C., Heck, J. E., Cockburn, M., Su, J., Jerrett, M., & Ritz, B. (2013). Prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and risk of early childhood cancers. American Journal of Epidemiology, 178(8), 1233.
Heck, Julia E., Wu, Jun, Lombardi, Christina, Qiu, Jiaheng, Meyers, Travis J., Wilhelm, Michelle, Cockburn, Myles, andRitz, Beate. (2013). Childhood cancer and traffic-related air pollution exposure in pregnancy and early life. Environmental health perspectives, 121(11-12), 1385. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1306761
Heist, D. K., Perry, S. G., & Brixey, L. A. (2009). A wind tunnel study of the effect of roadway configurations on the dispersion of traffic-related pollution. Atmospheric Environment, 43(32), 5101-5111. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.06.034
Hystad, P., Villeneuve, P. J., Goldberg, M. S., Crouse, D. L., & Johnson, K. (2015). Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the risk of developing breast cancer among women in eight Canadian provinces: A case–control study. Environment International, 74(0), 240-248. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.09.004
Lindgren, A., Stroh, E., Montnémery, P., Nihlén, U., Jakobsson, K., Axmon, A., . . . Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, L. (2009). Traffic-related air pollution associated with prevalence of asthma and COPD/chronic bronchitis. A cross-sectional study in Southern Sweden. International journal of health geographics, 8(1), 2-2. doi: 10.1186/1476-072X-8-2
Lue, S.-H., Wellenius, G. A., Wilker, E. H., Mostofsky, E., & Mittleman, M. A. (2013). Residential proximity to major roadways and renal function. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 67(8), 629.
Lwebuga-Mukasa,...
Why is this important?
My family lives by Scajaquada Expressway, a major urban arterial in Buffalo, NY. We were attracted to our home because it is large house near a beautiful park in our price range that can accommodate our growing family. However, after confronting the dirty reality of traffic pollution, we did some research. It turns out it's really making us sick and we can't move away from it because traffic pollution actually travels pretty far from the roadways.