December 2, 2002 – Following smokers’ lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers, a new form of legal action appears to be gaining momentum. For example, recently, a group of seven Japanese asthmatics won a lawsuit against the government of their country and received compensation equivalent to US $ 638,000 for health problems attributable to automobile pollution.
The seven compensated residents all live 50 meters or less from major road infrastructure in downtown Tokyo. In its judgment, the court said: “The large quantities of pollutants continuously released have the effect of causing and aggravating asthma, thus killing [des poursuivants] in danger “. Following the judgment, the Japanese Ministry of Transport recognized the urgent need to act to alleviate the problem of air pollution and promised to adopt further measures in this direction.
At least two studies have recently confirmed the existence and extent of this health problem. The first one1 was carried out in Holland using a sample of 5,000 people randomly selected from participants in an ongoing national study (examining the relationship between diet and cancer in people aged 55 to 69 years old). Those selected lived near busy roads. Exposure to pollutants associated with automobiles was estimated over the long term (from 1986 to 1994) from their place of residence in 1986. The aim was to assess the relationship between automobile pollution and mortality. The results show that long-term exposure to automobile pollution significantly increases the occurrence of cardiopulmonary diseases and shortens life expectancy.
The other study2, American, examined the health status of more than 100,000 people, aged 65 to 84, in 183 metropolitan areas in the United States. The analysis found that hospital admissions of people with respiratory problems were, on average, 19% higher in the 37 most polluted urban areas than in the 37 least polluted areas.
Stéphane Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
According to Intelihealth, October 29, 2002 and November 12, 2002
1. Hoek G, Brunekreef B, Goldbohm S, Fischer P, van den Brandt PA. Association between mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the Netherlands: a cohort study. Lancet 2002 Oct 19; 360 (9341): 1203-9. [consulté le 28 novembre 2002]
2. Fuchs VR, Frank SR. Air pollution and medical care use by older Americans: a cross-area analysis. Health Aff (Millwood) 2002 Nov-Dec; 21 (6): 207-14. [consulté le 28 novembre 2002]
