Study: Smoking Affects Air Quality at Outdoor Locations
Stanford Report, May 7, 2007
According to the May issue of the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association (JAWMA), Stanford researchers, Wayne Ott and Neil Klepeis, have concluded that a non-smoker sitting a few feet downwind from a cigarette is likely to be exposed to significant levels of contaminated air. In the first in-depth study on how smoking affects air quality at sidewalk cafes, park benches and other outdoor locations, they found that if a person within two feet downwind of a smoker may be exposed to pollutant concentrations that exceed 500 micrograms of PM2.5 over that 10-minute period. PM2.5 is a toxic pollutant produced by cigarettes that contains toxic chemicals and carcinogens.
While some have disagreed with these findings, pointing to the belief that the contamination dissipates quickly into the air, Klepeis argued that their findings show that a person sitting or standing next to a smoker outdoors can breathe in wisps of smoke that are many times more intense than normal background air pollution levels. He also turns to the 2006 Surgeon General’s report, which found that even brief exposures to secondhand smoke may have bad effects on the heart and respiratory systems and increase the severity of asthma attacks, especially in children.
The good news is that unlike indoor tobacco smoke, which can persist for hours, Ott and Klepeis found that outdoor smoke disappears quickly when a cigarette is extinguished. Their data also shows that if you move about six feet away from an outdoor smoker, your exposure levels are much lower.
Despite the controversy, the findings are the latest evidence that has led to a growing acceptance of the risks of secondhand smoke, even outdoors. More than 700 state and local governments have taken action, passing laws restricting outdoor smoking at playgrounds, building entrances and other public areas.
To read more about, visit: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/may9/smoking-050907.htmlThese news briefs have been summarized from external sources. They have been placed here as resources on lung health issues. Breathe California does not endorse their findings nor have they verified their accuracy.