Chile’s Smog Still Deadly
Chile’s Smog Still Deadly
By Marianela Jarroud
SANTIAGO, Jun 8, 2012 (IPS) - "We are facing a very alarming situation, and solutions are urgently needed," said Cecilia Sepúlveda, the dean of the University of Chile medical school, after it was announced that 4,200 people a year in this country die from causes directly attributable to smog and other kinds of pollution.
The official State of the Environment Report 2011, released this week, found that the limits set for ambient fine particulate matter - PM 2.5, which refers to particles measuring less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter - were exceeded in 30 cities in this long, narrow South American country.
PM 2.5 has a profound effect on public health. Studies have linked fine particle pollution to heart disease, strokes, respiratory problems, and premature death.
Experts in Chile say fine particulate matter from copper smelters, thermoelectric plants, and woodstoves used to heat homes affects 10 of Chile’s 17 million people, and is dangerous because it penetrates the deepest part of the lungs, such as the alveoli or bronchioles.
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