5 ms·

Study supports link between traffic-related air pollution and mental disorders

jungletime 6y ago
Room air is much more polluted than outside air. Room air filters are more common in Europe. But pretty easy to find. I saw one at costco last month. Planting more trees would also help.
- wolco2 6y ago
  It is not as simple as the amount of dust/dirt in the air. Studies have found those living close to a highway or busy street have an increased chance of dying. The type of particulate becomes heavy more deadly. I suspect the same effect is happening here.
  - jungletime 6y ago
    I read before that tires actually degrade and that contributes to pollution. I mentioned room air filters, because that seems like it would be a wise investment for people that live close to highways, or people that spend a lot of time in indoors like programmers. So that maybe someone with a room air filter can comment on which ones are worth getting.
    - Gibbon1 6y ago
      I saw and posted a link to a paper that discussed where automotive particulates come from, with estimates for each. I think brakes and tires account for 5-10% each. Most of it comes out the exhaust pipe. Also seen some articles that say that cooking with natural gas creates a lot of indoor pollution. Say to me getting rid of gasoline and diesel cars will help a lot. Also getting rid of gas stoves and furnaces would also help. One thing I don't see talked of much, driers. The exhaust from gas driers to me seems like something really dodgy.
- throwaway29389 6y ago
  > Room air is much more polluted than outside air On the contrary, particulate "nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and oxides (NOx), ozone (O3)" is at its maximum around busy roads. In a room it decades quickly if you block airflow. I have a PM detector and I can see that every day.
RandomWorker 6y ago
Makes sense I remember reading a study in the Netherlands that people next to a busy road had polution level that were equivalent to smoking a pack a day. Also the constant sound lowered life quality substantially. That’s why they put up these sound barriers in the Netherlands. With more efficient cars I wonder if it got any better.
- blunte 6y ago
  Noise pollution is surely a contributor to mental and perhaps even physical problems, but it seems to be very low priority. Also, I would assume that people who are exposed to higher air pollution from vehicles are likewise exposed to more noise. Personally, stupidly loud motorcycles driving through my village make me want to hurt the riders, and I'm normally a gentle person. Thus, noise pollution greatly contributes to mental disorder for me!
godelzilla 6y ago
Have they looked at the link between living on a highway and mental disorders? Noise, poor housing, isolation, poverty, traffic danger. There's probably more to it than the particulate.
sto_hristo 6y ago
Think this is bad? Does it raise a concern in you? Well, let me remind you of leaded gasoline and how it used to convert people in post apocalyptic savages taken right from a Mad Max movie - scientifically proven. Electric vehicles can't come fast enough. We desperately need a battery tech revolution!
- throwaway2245 6y ago
  PM2.5 pollution, mentioned in the article, comes from tyre and brake wear.
  - thedrbrian 6y ago
    And you’re going to get a lot of that with 2 tonne EVs compared to lighter ICE cars. You can fit particulate filters to the exhaust to capture the tiny particles there. Gonna struggle with the tyres. Make them harder and then braking distances increase and the car will struggle to turn(efficientcy will go up though) , chance the compound so they come apart in bigger chunks then the tyres won’t last as long and you’ll end up with loads of rubber in the drains.
- starkd 6y ago
  You also have to generate the power to charge those vehicles. Better batteries aren't going to provide that.
  - sto_hristo 6y ago
    You can always throw more nuclear reactors this problem :) . The only thing that practically stands in the way is the elusive battery that can be charged quickly without becoming a galaxy note 7 grenade.
    - starkd 6y ago
      Exactly. Notice though how strong the resistance is to recognizing nuclear power as a viable option. It's literally a win-win for people concerned about climate change and those concerned about crippling the economy. Everything comes with a trade-off.
new_realist 6y ago
I would like to see how they controlled for economic status. Polluted areas are noisy and not desirable. If you don’t have a disorder you are likelier to be able to afford a better spot.
mjbeswick 6y ago
It could just as well be some other environmental factor causing mental disorders that correlate with pollution, such as living in a densely populated area.
jgalt212 6y ago
I'm always amazed that any person who grew up in the Bridge Apartments could ever possibly a functioning member of society. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Manhattan_Expressway#/media/File:TMX_apartments_jeh.JPG https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Manhattan_Expressway#/me...

Room air is much more polluted than outside air. Room air filters are more common in Europe. But pretty easy to find. I saw one at costco last month. Planting more trees would also help.

wolco2 6y ago
It is not as simple as the amount of dust/dirt in the air. Studies have found those living close to a highway or busy street have an increased chance of dying. The type of particulate becomes heavy more deadly. I suspect the same effect is happening here.
- jungletime 6y ago
  I read before that tires actually degrade and that contributes to pollution. I mentioned room air filters, because that seems like it would be a wise investment for people that live close to highways, or people that spend a lot of time in indoors like programmers. So that maybe someone with a room air filter can comment on which ones are worth getting.
  - Gibbon1 6y ago
    I saw and posted a link to a paper that discussed where automotive particulates come from, with estimates for each. I think brakes and tires account for 5-10% each. Most of it comes out the exhaust pipe. Also seen some articles that say that cooking with natural gas creates a lot of indoor pollution. Say to me getting rid of gasoline and diesel cars will help a lot. Also getting rid of gas stoves and furnaces would also help. One thing I don't see talked of much, driers. The exhaust from gas driers to me seems like something really dodgy.
throwaway29389 6y ago
> Room air is much more polluted than outside air On the contrary, particulate "nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and oxides (NOx), ozone (O3)" is at its maximum around busy roads. In a room it decades quickly if you block airflow. I have a PM detector and I can see that every day.

RandomWorker 6y ago

Makes sense I remember reading a study in the Netherlands that people next to a busy road had polution level that were equivalent to smoking a pack a day. Also the constant sound lowered life quality substantially. That’s why they put up these sound barriers in the Netherlands. With more efficient cars I wonder if it got any better.

blunte 6y ago
Noise pollution is surely a contributor to mental and perhaps even physical problems, but it seems to be very low priority. Also, I would assume that people who are exposed to higher air pollution from vehicles are likewise exposed to more noise. Personally, stupidly loud motorcycles driving through my village make me want to hurt the riders, and I'm normally a gentle person. Thus, noise pollution greatly contributes to mental disorder for me!

godelzilla 6y ago

Have they looked at the link between living on a highway and mental disorders? Noise, poor housing, isolation, poverty, traffic danger. There's probably more to it than the particulate.

sto_hristo 6y ago

Think this is bad? Does it raise a concern in you? Well, let me remind you of leaded gasoline and how it used to convert people in post apocalyptic savages taken right from a Mad Max movie - scientifically proven. Electric vehicles can't come fast enough. We desperately need a battery tech revolution!

throwaway2245 6y ago
PM2.5 pollution, mentioned in the article, comes from tyre and brake wear.
- thedrbrian 6y ago
  And you’re going to get a lot of that with 2 tonne EVs compared to lighter ICE cars. You can fit particulate filters to the exhaust to capture the tiny particles there. Gonna struggle with the tyres. Make them harder and then braking distances increase and the car will struggle to turn(efficientcy will go up though) , chance the compound so they come apart in bigger chunks then the tyres won’t last as long and you’ll end up with loads of rubber in the drains.
starkd 6y ago
You also have to generate the power to charge those vehicles. Better batteries aren't going to provide that.
- sto_hristo 6y ago
  You can always throw more nuclear reactors this problem :) . The only thing that practically stands in the way is the elusive battery that can be charged quickly without becoming a galaxy note 7 grenade.
  - starkd 6y ago
    Exactly. Notice though how strong the resistance is to recognizing nuclear power as a viable option. It's literally a win-win for people concerned about climate change and those concerned about crippling the economy. Everything comes with a trade-off.

new_realist 6y ago

I would like to see how they controlled for economic status. Polluted areas are noisy and not desirable. If you don’t have a disorder you are likelier to be able to afford a better spot.

mjbeswick 6y ago

It could just as well be some other environmental factor causing mental disorders that correlate with pollution, such as living in a densely populated area.

jgalt212 6y ago

I'm always amazed that any person who grew up in the Bridge Apartments could ever possibly a functioning member of society. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Manhattan_Expressway#/media/File:TMX_apartments_jeh.JPG https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Manhattan_Expressway#/me...