People living near Lisbon airport have a higher risk of contracting diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or dementia, according to a study released today by the Zero association, which warns of the dangers of exposure to ultrafine particles.
The findings come from a study by the European Federation for Transport and Environment, which explores the link between ultrafine particles emitted by airplanes and the health of people living near Europe’s 32 busiest airports.
The study suggests that thousands of cases of hypertension, diabetes and dementia in Lisbon and other cities in Europe may be linked to these tiny particles emitted by airplanes, with Lisbon being the city with by far the highest concentration of people living, working and studying near the airport,” the environmental association Zero said in a statement.
In the case of the Portuguese capital, around 414,000 people (around 4% of the Portuguese population) live within a five-kilometer radius of Humberto Delgado airport and are therefore “particularly exposed to and affected by ultrafine particles”.
The data points to a 20% risk of dementia, a 12% risk of diabetes and a 7% risk of high blood pressure.
According to Zero, the “summary of scientific evidence” to estimate the impact on health was based on data from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
“These particles are suspended in the air by airplanes, disperse widely in the atmosphere, are a thousand times smaller in diameter than a human hair and are invisible. When inhaled, they easily pass through the lungs into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, potentially causing serious long-term health problems, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, endocrine and gestational problems,” warns Zero.
According to the study, it is estimated that the ultrafine particles resulting from the activity of Lisbon airport could be the cause of 17,859 cases of hypertension, 21,485 cases of diabetes and 2,121 cases of dementia among the population of the city and its surroundings.
These figures represent up to 10% of the population living within a five-kilometer radius of Lisbon airport.
“The study now released complements the 2019 Universidade Nova de Lisboa study which unequivocally shows that the concentration of ultrafine particles in some areas of Lisbon rises as they are exposed to the influence of the airport and the movement of airplanes. Given the proximity of the airport to the city center, the effects of the particles extend over significant areas,” says Zero.
The most affected areas are in the vicinity of the airport, namely Alvalade, Campo Grande and Cidade Universitária, where the Hospital de Santa Maria, universities, schools and kindergartens are located, and under the route where planes take off and approach, such as Avenidas Novas, Bairro do Rego, Amoreiras and Campolide.
“This is a situation that is unparalleled in any other European airport, disastrous for the health of Lisbon’s citizens who live and go about their lives in these areas, aggravating the illnesses caused by excessive noise,” the association warns.
In all the airports considered, exposure to ultrafine particles could be associated with 280,000 cases of hypertension, 330,000 cases of diabetes and 18,000 cases of dementia.
“To date, there are no regulations on safe levels of ultrafine particles in the air, despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) has been warning for more than 15 years that this is a pollutant of concern,” laments Zero.
In order to reduce the impact of ultrafine particles on health, Zero advocates not expanding the capacity of Humberto Delgado airport and closing it “as soon as possible”, as well as promoting the use of sustainable fuels.
“The evidence also shows that airport workers, particularly those who work on the runway, are the ones most exposed to the effects of ultrafine particles, so specific measures must be put in place to protect their health,” they argue.
