Pollution Facts [3 of 6]

Inhalation of vehicular exhausts in the ambient air is responsible for hundreds of thousands of new cancer cases across North America each year. In addition, the incidence of asthma, respiratory disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] is on the rise. Asthma itself increased 28% among Canadian males and 18% among Canadian females between 1980 and 1990 and is still rising. Heart disease has been linked to inhalation of fine particulate matter and other pollutants.

It costs over $24,000 to treat a lung cancer patient over a five year period. Hospitalization costs associated with asthma and other chronic respiratory problems caused or exacerbated by pollution are exorbitant. Conservative estimates of the national health costs associated with air pollution run between 5 and 8 billion dollars annually.

Lung disease ranks as the fourth leading cause of death in the industrialized world.

Noise pollution from busy roadways has been identified as a factor that seriously affects the quality of community life.

The average car usually contains less than two passengers. A full bus can hold about 40 seated passengers and a total of around 70 if we include standees. If each bus could consistently remove as many automobiles from the road as it has seats, the consumption of fossil fuels and their associated pollutants would be reduced.