{"id":1838,"date":"2020-02-05T16:55:49","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T16:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/en\/?p=1838"},"modified":"2020-02-05T17:01:56","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T17:01:56","slug":"israelis-continually-exposed-to-extreme-levels-of-air-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/en\/health-nutrition\/israelis-continually-exposed-to-extreme-levels-of-air-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Israelis continually exposed to extreme levels of air pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Air Pollution in Israel\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R7FsTAxB4tk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month, schools and universities were closed in Teheran as a result of dangerously high levels of air pollution. The city has long been plagued by traffic, congestion, and excessive emissions from its local industries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In New\nDelhi, the capital of India, a state of medical emergency was recently declared\nwhen levels of air pollution were detected to be ten times higher than the\nupper limits of normal<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately,\nhere in Israel, the air is far from pristine, and it affects us in a wide range\nof detrimental ways. <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007%2Fs10661-019-7960-8\">A new\nreport<\/a> reveals that the entire country\u2019s population is exposed to levels of\npollution that significantly exceed the target values, as defined by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nevo.co.il\/law_html\/Law01\/999_978.htm\">Clean Air\nLaw<\/a>, especially breathable particles, such as particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5, <\/sub>PM<sub>10<\/sub> \u2013 diameter between\n2.5-10 micrometers) that pose a serious threat to public health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Estimates state that each year over 2,000 Israelis die as a result of air pollution. Chronic exposure to high levels of air pollution has been tied to a broad range of illnesses, such as respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, different types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, congenital defects, and premature death. In addition, according to the OECD (The <strong>Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)<\/strong>, the direct and indirect costs of air pollution reach a staggering $7 billion (NIS25 billion) annually \u2014 taking into account factors such as the cost of hospitalization, treatment, and debt incurred from loss of work days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ria-puskas-CvTaPeo3NRk-unsplash-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Estimates state that each year over 2,000 Israelis die as a result of air pollution.  Photo by&nbsp;Ria Puskas&nbsp;on&nbsp;Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the new report, which was jointly\nconducted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of\nHealth, scientists focused on the human impact of pollution and sought to\nuncover which parts of the population were affected by different types of\npollution. In their research, they cross-referenced pollution data from all\nacross the country together with data from the Central Bureau of Statistics\nthat deals with different types of populations in different areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nresearch looked at the exposure to seven different types of air pollutants,\nincluding those smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (PM<sub>10<\/sub>,\nPM<sub>2.5,<\/sub> respectively), which are considered among the two most\ndangerous types. These two pollutants are emitted by vehicles (mufflers) and\nthe burning of oil in power stations. Due to their microscopic size, they can\neasily penetrate the pulmonary tissue and seep into the body\u2019s deep tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nphenomenon is further exacerbated by the desert climate and Eastern winds that\noccur during the transitional seasons. The researchers compared their findings\nwith the target levels, as defined in the Clean Air Law, that specifies the\nhighest limits of pollutants, after which they become a public health hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>High levels in Tel Aviv and Rishon\nLe Zion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nresults weren\u2019t very encouraging. \u201cWe discovered that all of Israel\u2019s\npopulation is exposed to levels of PM<sub>10<\/sub> and PM<sub>2.5<\/sub> that\nexceed the highest limits within the realm of normal,\u201d says Dr. Zohar\nBrandt-Itzhaki, a researcher from the Department of Environmental Health at the\nMinistry of Health and the Ruppin Academic Center, who was one of the lead researchers\nof the report. The levels of PM<sub>10<\/sub> measured were between 34-47 microns\nper cubic meter, and PM<sub>25<\/sub> levels were between 14-21 microns per\ncubic meter. Measurements should be no higher than 10 microns, while\nenvironmental values should be no more than 25 microns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides\nthe alarming country-wide findings, researchers found that in the center of the\ncountry, particularly in Tel Aviv and Rishon LeZion, the level of nitrous oxide\n(N<sub>2<\/sub>O) was higher than usual. N<sub>2<\/sub>O&nbsp; gas emissions come from high-temperature\nprocesses such as those that occur in car engines, power reactors, and a wide\nrange of industrial factories. N<sub>2<\/sub>O is a leading factor in today\u2019s\npollution landscape. While the target values of N<sub>2<\/sub>O are 30 microns\nper cubic meter, the levels measured were 35 microns per cubic meter in Tel\nAviv and 33 microns per cubic meter in Rishon LeZion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/daniel-lerman-DOQ0UTYD9mw-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Particularly in Tel Aviv and Rishon LeZion, the level of nitrous oxide (N<sub>2<\/sub>O) was higher than usual. Photo by&nbsp;Daniel Lerman&nbsp;on&nbsp;Unsplash. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In\naddition, this research revealed that contrary to popular belief, even remote\nand rural towns suffer from exposure to high levels of air pollution.\nSurprisingly enough, the highest levels of ozone (O<sub>3<\/sub>) were found in\nthe least densely-populated areas of the country. Although O<sub>3<\/sub> gas\nforms the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere (10-50 km above sea\nlevel), which is so essential for continued life on earth, this gas is\nconsidered to be a highly dangerous greenhouse pollutant when found below the\nstratosphere. Ozone is created as a result of a chemical reaction between other\npollutants. \u201cIt is more easily transferred by wind, and that perhaps explains\nwhy its highest levels were found in the Upper Galilee, the Judean Desert, the\nArava, and the Negev,\u201d says Brant-Itzhaki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\naddition, researchers examined the impact of O<sub>3<\/sub> on different age\ngroups and found that senior citizens (above 65) were most affected, as a higher\npercentage of them live in more polluted areas. Children up to 14-years-old\nwere also found to have increased exposure in comparison to those between 15-19\nyears of age. These findings are most troubling, as these age groups are the\nmost vulnerable to the harms of pollution, together with those who suffer from\ncardio-pulmonary diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Reducing emissions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\nall want to reduce the exposure of the population to air pollutants,\u201d says\nBrant-Itzhaki. \u201cThat\u2019s why we need to take into consideration the levels of\nenvironmental pollution as well as the size and the changing fabric of the\npopulation when we define a policy for moving polluting factories as far as\npossible from centers of population, as well as better managing emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore,\nBrant-Itzhaki can\u2019t place enough emphasis on tackling air pollution head-on and\nreducing emissions from different sources, whether it\u2019s industry, power\nstations, or vehicles. Initiatives to reduce emissions include encouraging the\nusage of low-emission vehicles (hybrid and electric), promoting the use of\nbicycles or public transport over driving, and adopting emission-reducing\ntechnologies wherever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe good news is that some factories and companies have already begun the process. I find that promising, and I hope it signals a shift for the future,\u201d Brant-Itzhaki says in summary, leaving us with a slightly less gloomy feeling than what his findings reveal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This ZAVIT article was also published in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/HEALTH-SCIENCE\/Israelis-continually-exposed-to-extreme-levels-of-air-pollution-report-614712\">The Jerusalem Post<\/a>&nbsp;on 01\/20\/2020.<\/em><br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last month, schools and universities were closed in Teheran as a result of dangerously high levels of air pollution. The &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":1839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"acf":[],"post-meta-fields":{"_edit_lock":["1580922108:11"],"_oembed_84735d69d6f2f5b49943143716d53a7d":["<iframe title=\"Air Pollution in Israel\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R7FsTAxB4tk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>"],"_oembed_time_84735d69d6f2f5b49943143716d53a7d":["1580920918"],"_thumbnail_id":["1839"],"_edit_last":["11"],"subtitle":["A new joint research by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health reveals alarming findings on the human impact of air pollution in Israel"],"_subtitle":["field_59d3d36ea7fe1"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1838"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1847,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1838\/revisions\/1847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}