Health Effects and solutions on air pollution in Queens and Brooklyn, New York

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Abstract

The city of New York is struggling to find solutions to its pollution issues. According to the American Lung Association, tighter measures, policies, and other regulations in the greater New York metropolitan could theoretically save more than 3,000 lives per year. The focus of this objective paper is to provide qualitative and quantitative analyses of health effects and solutions on air pollution in New York by focusing on the effects of PM_2.5 (particulate matter), CO, SO₂, O₃, NO_3, and other pollutants and the preventive measures. The selected areas of study in New York are Queens and Brooklyn because of their large contribution to the current air pollution being experienced in New York City.  Supporting New York City's initiatives to decreasing air pollution and promote energy conservation is one of the significant ways of addressing the health effects. The introduction of this paper provides background research regarding the selected environmental issue (air pollution), research questions, significance of the research, and the relationship between the report and the existing research and knowledge regarding the topic. The methodology section of this paper provides the relevant experimental design, techniques used, literature research approaches, survey tools used, and data analysis methods. The methodology section also provides the hypothesis tested and how they were tested. The results section of this paper provides figures, tables, graphs, charts, and other graphical means of presenting data. The report will conclude by providing the discussion and conclusions regarding the findings or results from the study.

Keywords: Air pollution, United States Environmental Protection Agency, asthma, Brooklyn, Queens, PM_2.5, CO, SO₂, O₃, and NO_3.

Introduction

Air pollution is a significant environmental hazard to the health of urban communities in general, and especially to residents of New York City. Despite the fact that clean air laws and regulations have improved the quality of the air in New York, especially in Queens and Brooklyn, many pollutants in the city's air are at unsafe levels. Fuel and other combustion emissions, both directly and indirectly, can result in high levels of pollutants in many cities. At current concentrations in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, both have been extensively studied and are known to cause serious illnesses and death, especially from lung and heart diseases. The stench of truck exhaust and smoke plumes emerging from the streets of Queens and Brooklyn is hazardous. Air pollution puts Queens and Brooklyn residents at risk for heart disease, lung cancer, and asthma, despite the fact that we take our oxygen for granted. According to a recent report by the region, small particulate matter and ozone in the air cause up to 2,700 premature deaths per year, which is more than eight times the number of murders in 2013.

Central Research Questions

The report paper addresses the following questions:

        i.            What is the level of air pollution in Queens and Brooklyn, New York?

      ii.            What are the effects of air pollution on the environment and humans?

    iii.            What are the current measures, techniques, or policies being implemented to reduce air pollution in Queens and Brooklyn, New York?

    iv.            Are the policies or measures to reduce air pollution working?

Why the Research is Important and Useful

This research about health effects and air pollution in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, is important because it provides an understanding of how air pollution affects disease development and the...