New Study Reveals Traditional Pollution Risk Models May Vastly Underrate Health Threats

A groundbreaking study from Johns Hopkins University and Aerodyne Research challenges the way regulators assess air pollution health risks, showing that traditional methods may underestimate cumulative harm from chemical exposures.

Unlike conventional models that evaluate each chemical individually, the new method considers how multiple pollutants affect multiple body systems simultaneously. When applied to communities near Philadelphia, researchers found elevated risks to brains, lungs, hearts, kidneys, and hormonal systems, despite traditional models showing no concern.

“We breathe everything all at once,” said co-author Keeve Nachman, arguing that risk assessments must reflect real-world exposures.

Communities exposed to pollution from refineries and incinerators could benefit from this revised approach, especially as the EPA faces pressure to loosen clean air rules. Advocates like Heather McTeer Toney call the findings a validation for residents in polluted regions like Louisiana and Appalachia, where cumulative chemical burdens have long been overlooked.

Researchers are making their findings public and plan to develop tools for broader use.

21-04-2025

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