You might think of it as only a warm weather problem. But you'd be dead wrong.
That's the conclusion of a new
Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation report on air pollution, which has found that smog is now a killer all year round and not just during those lazy, hazy days of summer. And it's giving Ontario an "F" when it comes to grading the relationship between heart disease and bad air quality.
Authorities say at least 6,000 more people across the country die from just short term exposure to all that junk in the air, and claim few are aware of the damage it can do. They estimate a single daily exposure to bad air can elevate your risk of a heart attack by 69 per cent.
"If you have heart disease or you're at risk for heart disease, bad pollution days are bad for you," declares the Foundation's Dr. Beth Abramson. "If you have heart disease or are at risk of heart disease with diabetes, this does contribute to your risk significantly."
The Foundation issued a report card on the air quality in all provinces across the country.
Quebec
and B.C. also received an "F". (For the rest,
click here.)
Virtually no region in the country is immune from pollution's effects since it can travel 800 kilometres in just a short time period. "Air pollution is everywhere, so it's not just an urban problem," outlines Steve Samis, the Foundation's Health Policy Director. "All Canadians really do need to be concerned about air pollution, because it will find you."
And heading up north to get a breath of fresh air isn't the answer, because the study shows there's now almost no place you can go to hide from the contaminants. At least 30 per cent of Canadians are believed to be exposed to unsafe levels of particulates in the air, but the authors complain almost nothing has been done since the turn of the century to reduce the output - and in fact, it's going up.
-
Another surprising finding? A good 30 per cent of the air pollution in
Canada
comes from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. Heart and Stroke wants the government to regulate the emissions in those devices before they spread the heat - and hurt the heart.
Air Quality and Cardiovascular Risk
|
Province
|
Highest 3-yr average 98
th %ile PM2.5* (in mg/m
3) observed in the province
|
Grade: Impact on heart health
|
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
|
British Columbia
|
33
|
35
|
36
|
34
|
Interior: F
Lower Mainland: D
|
|
Alberta
|
29
|
25
|
30
|
25
|
D
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
Data not available
|
|
Manitoba
|
18
|
16
|
16
|
15
|
B+
|
|
Ontario
|
36
|
36
|
38
|
40
|
F
|
|
Quebec
|
34
|
36
|
38
|
42
|
F
|
|
New Brunswick
|
28
|
25
|
20
|
17
|
C
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
Data not available
|
|
PEI
|
Data not available
|
|
Newfoundland & Labrador
|
n/a
|
15
|
15
|
13
|
B+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Environment Canada and Heart and Stroke Foundation
(The term fine particles, or particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), refers to tiny particles or droplets in the air that are two and one half microns or less in diameter. These particles come from many different sources and large amounts also form in the atmosphere from gaseous air pollutants interacting with each other in the presence of sunlight and water. The Canada-wide Standard for PM2.5 is based upon the 98
th percentile (%ile) among a year of 24-hour measurements. An area has not achieved the CWS if the average of three consecutive year's of 98
th %iles is above 30
m
g/m
3.
Legend: F= >30, D= 25-30, C= 20-25, B= 15-20)
Air Pollution Survey Of Canadians:Think air pollution worse or only a problem during the summer:
69%
Believe air quality has a major effect on the health of Canadians:
63%
Check the air quality in index in their community from time to time or daily:
47%
Don't let smog advisories affect what they do outdoors:
39%
13%Know air pollution is a year-round problem:
3%