Mov Up Policy Brief

Airport are exposed to a type of ultrafine particle pollution that is distinctly associated with aircraft, according to a 2019 University of Washington (UW) study that is the first to identify the unique signature of aircraft emissions in Washington. The finding comes from the two-year Mobile ObserVations of Ultrafine Particles (MOV- UP) study funded by the Washington State Legislature and led by the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The MOV-UP study examined the air-quality impacts of aircraft traffic on communities located within 10 miles of Sea-Tac Airport. The discovery creates opportunities to investigate the health effects of aircraft-related pollution, how different neighborhoods are impacted by it and specific interventions to reduce people’s exposure to these pollutants. Previous studies have linked exposure to ultrafine pollution particles to breast cancer, heart disease, prostate cancer and a variety of lung conditions. This policy brief describes some of the remaining knowledge gaps about aircraft-related pollution. It also proposes next steps that state legislators can take to better understand the health impacts of ultrafine particle pollution and to protect the health of people who live and work in the vicinity of Sea-Tac Airport. A policy brief for the Washington State Legislature Context The term “ultrafine particles” refers to particles that are less than 0.1 micron in diameter—700 times thinner than the width of a human hair. Unlike particles that range in size up to 2.5 and 10 microns (known as PM2.5 and PM10, respectively),…
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