BHF comment
Heart and circulatory disease pollution deaths on island of Ireland could reach 12,000 by 2030
Over the next decade heart and circulatory disease deaths on the island of Ireland attributable to air pollution could reach 12,000, we have jointly warned with the Irish Heart Foundation.
We made the stark prediction as we call for greater action to protect the heart and circulatory health of all in across the island from the most dangerous kind of air pollution, particulate matter.
We are jointly calling for a co-ordinated approach to tackle air pollution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, including a ban on the worst polluting fuels in both jurisdictions.
We have funded £5.8m into medical research that showed high levels of air pollution can have a harmful effect on health, increasing the risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
The research has shown that particulate matter (PM), tiny particles in our air not visible to the naked eye can remain in the bloodstream for at least three months, can worsen the build-up of fatty materials inside the arteries, causing blood clots and potentially affect the normal electrical functioning of the heart.
A public health emergency
Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF NI, said: “Every day, millions of us across the UK and Ireland are inhaling toxic particles which enter our blood and get stuck in our organs, raising our risk of heart attacks and stroke. Make no mistake – our toxic air is a public health emergency.
“Our analysis suggests that if we don’t take action now, heart and circulatory disease deaths related to air pollution on the island of Ireland could total 12,000 by 2030. Decision makers owe it to future generations to help stop this alarming figure from becoming a reality.”
Dr Tim Collins, Chief Executive of Irish Heart Foundation, said: "Air pollution does not respect boundaries and on the island of Ireland, toxic air from the burning of solid fuel in the home is having a detrimental impact on the health of those both north and south of the border’.
"Unless air pollution is addressed across both jurisdictions, thousands of more lives will be lost as the modelling suggests. Unfortunately, it those most vulnerable, children, older people and those living with chronic diseases that will be most affected.”
This comes as new polling indicates that the general public are largely unaware of the impact of air pollution on their health. Only seven per cent of people in Northern Ireland identify heart and circulatory disease as the leading cause of death attributable to air pollution.
People unaware of the impact of air pollution
Meanwhile in the Republic of Ireland, only 19 per cent of respondents polled believe heart and circulatory disease is the leading cause of death attributable to air pollution.
Heart and circulatory disease accounts for around half of all deaths attributed to the most dangerous kind of air pollution, particulate matter, on the island of Ireland. These results highlight the stark lack of public awareness of the cardiovascular impact of air pollution.
Domestic wood and coal burning in the UK – which includes open fires and wood-burning stoves – is estimated to account for almost 40 per cent of background levels of toxic fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5.
The poll showed that only six per cent of people in Northern Ireland recognise that the burning of wood, peat and coal in homes is the major source of toxic air.
In the Republic of Ireland, only 11 per cent of respondents polled identified the burning of wood, peat, and coal in homes as the main source of air pollution that impacts negatively on people’s health in Ireland. The government in the Republic of Ireland recently consulted on solid fuel regulations.
The Irish Heart Foundation have called for an immediate nationwide ban on sod turf, smoky coal and wet wood. BHF NI want to see similar action taken in Northern Ireland.