From the Health Subcommittee of the Environmental Impact Committee of the Regional Coalition on Airport Affairs Prepared by : D. Dennis Hansen, M. D. Lee A. Sanders M. D. , Ph. D. With assistance from Mark Bened llm ( Associate Administrator Highline Hospital) Rose Clark (Concerned local citizen) 10/5/92 - P SUWARY OF ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS OF AIRPORTS Fiction : Airport noise is a minor annoyance and people living near the airport should be 'lgood sports" and learn to ignore it Fact : Airport noise results in a significant increase in community use of tranquil i z ers and sleeping pills . Airport communities have an increased rate of alcoholism , and admissions to psychiatric hospitals . Airport-related noise can literally drive people mad. II li I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 I1 1 Fiction : Communities near the airport offer affordable housing and would be suitable for young families. Fact : Infants born to mothers living under the flight path have lower birth weights and higher likelihood of prematurity. There is some experimental evidence to suggest that serious birth defects are more likely when the mother is exposed to high noise levels during pregnancy. Airport communities are unsafe for pregnant women and their children II II II II II tIll I II II II II II II II II II II II II Fiction : Although it is annoying, airport noise will not affect your physical health . Fact…Open full document
Notes
For the time, an excellent overview of the expected health harms from Sea-Tac Airport, including the expected increase in impacts from building a Third Runway. The report also provides a very sophisticated political analysis; correctly predicting the Port’s approach to greenwashing those harms.