Living near an airport increases risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and dementia due to airplane fumes

Living near an airport where thousands of planes take off and land every day means breathing air full of ultrafine particles (UFPs) emitted by engines that enter the human body. The damage they cause to people is beginning to be known: according to a study by the organization, they increase the risk of suffering from diabetes and dementia by at least 20% and high blood pressure by 7%. Transport and Environment Based on data from the Netherlands Institute of Public Health (RIVM).

The analysis says that these ultra-small particles (less than 100 nanometers in diameter, i.e. 1,000 times thinner than a hair) may be linked to 280,000 cases of hypertension, 333,000 cases of diabetes and about 18,000 cases of dementia. Environment. 32 major European airports: a population of 52 million people living within 20 kilometers of the runway.

Tea Schipol takes the work of the Dutch Institute for Airports in Amsterdam and applies it to the 32 infrastructures with the most air traffic, superimposing the populations living in their sphere of influence in three concentric crowns: 5 km, 5 to 10 km and 10 to 20 km away.

Ultrafine particles, due to their small size, can penetrate deep into the body, entering the bloodstream and reaching internal organs such as the brain and placenta.

Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Palma and Malaga are among those selected. Around eight million people live in the vicinity of these four infrastructures with the most flights in Spain, affected by air with ultrafine particles.

They have focused on UFPs because “due to their small size, they can penetrate deep into the body, enter the bloodstream and reach internal organs such as the brain and placenta,” the report highlights.

Fine particles (whatever size they are) come from the use of fossil fuels in aircraft engines. PM10 and PM2.5 are better known and even European air quality regulations consider limits for these toxins. However, UFPs have not received much attention until the latest revision of the EU directive, which calls for them to be monitored, although there are no limits.

Takeoff and landing, the dirtiest

In the entire pollution process associated with airplanes, the moment of takeoff and landing is one of the most important Dirty. It is estimated that up to 14% of all ultrafine particles emitted by aviation are generated within a short time of landing or leaving the ground. And these operations are carried out in areas closest to populations. According to a study of the profile of microparticles carried out by the University of Washington, these airplane particles are more expanded than those emitted from road vehicle exhaust pipes.

“The RIVM study found strong associations between long-term exposure to UFP and self-reported cases of diabetes and self-reported use of medication for high blood pressure and dementia,” the study says. In addition, in the short term, worsening of respiratory problems and increased use of anti-asthma medication were also associated.

Logically, the citizens most at risk are those who live less than 5 km from airports. In these areas, the concentration of fine particles averages 5,000 per cm3 of air. At Heathrow (London) and Charles de Gaulle (Paris) it reaches 10,000. In Madrid they are over 8,000, in Barcelona 6,000, in Palma 4,000 particles and in Malaga in a 5 km area they average 2,000 per cm3 of air.

Within this range of influence, when compared with the rest of the population, scientists at the Netherlands Institute of Public Health found that airport neighbours were more than 20% more likely to develop dementia or diabetes. In the case of high blood pressure, the study found a 7% increased risk.

These results have been extrapolated to other points of interest to look at the effects of UFPs on a continental scale. The two most important factors when evaluating the damage to health from these toxins are air traffic volume and population density: multiple operations and multiple people nearby result in more health problems.

In this sense, the great Centres The international airports of London and Paris present worrying figures, but Lisbon airport, which is much closer to the city although with much less activity, “has a greater impact on the population.”

The airports of Madrid and Barcelona combine two factors: they have a large number of flights and a high population density in the nearest ring, which is less than five kilometres from the infrastructure: 207,000 citizens in the case of Barajas-Adolfo Suárez (for a total of 3.9 million in the 20 km ring) and 159,000 inhabitants in Barcelona’s El Prat (with a total affected population of 2.7 million people).

“Unfortunately, living near an airport can make you sick,” says Pablo Muñoz, head of transportation at Ecologistas en Acción. “Policies have ignored this hidden health crisis,” he concludes.

Tea Advocates a change in the type of fuel used by airplanes so that they emit fewer pollutants. Now 99% of this fuel is derived from crude oil. Its sulfur content determines the amount of particles it emits. The organization says that if so-called sustainable fuels are used, “75% of particles and 90% of total mass will be reduced.”

Despite fuel considerations, the organization explains that targeting the number of flights is more direct: “The growth of air transport is the most effective way to reduce emissions and air pollution in the region. Establish limits on operations and replace short flights with rail alternatives.

Reducing air traffic and stopping airport expansion is necessary to minimize the impact on the health of millions of people

In this sense, Pablo Muñoz speaks of his focus on Spain when reflecting on how it works to support that “it is necessary to reduce air traffic and stop airport expansion to minimize the impact on the health of millions of people.”

Environmentalists are referring to the project to transform Madrid Airport into an international node that will take air operations to a new level. The government forecasts that this plan will increase the number of annual passengers at Barajas from the current 60 million to 90 million in 2030. And this is achieved through more flights.

Contrary to the opinion of Muñoz and TeaAena’s president, Mauricio Lucena, has defended that “air transport is fundamental to the economic and social development of Spain.”

The government agreement between PSOE and Sumar emphasized the “reduction” of short national flights, with the option of a train of less than 2.5 hours, in order to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. So far the measure remains only in writing.