Study links smog to respiratory diseases

A New York University study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people who live in areas with high smog rates (i.e. metropolitan areas) are three times more likely to die from premature respiratory diseases than those who live in areas with low smog counts.

Smog forms when ozone, which comes primarily from the tailpipes of vehicles and smokestacks of factories, mixes with sunlight.

The study is the first nationwide examination of the long-term impact ozone has on human health, according to officials at NYU's Lagone Medical Center.

The researchers also concluded that even at levels below EPA requirements for airborne ozone, long-term exposure still leads to an increased rate of negative health effects. Environmental groups argue that the current standards aren't strict enough, while industry representatives say the standards are already too strict in their current form.

For more info, check out this article in the New York Times.