North Shore AIR

Funded by the Environmental Protection Agency

The largest single stationary source of outdoor air pollution in the target communities, and in Essex County, is the Salem Harbor Generating Station.
Mobile Sources, both on- and off-road vehicles, constitute the largest category contributing to outdoor air pollution.
Area sources are largely under-estimated and under-reported based on our findings.
Of the Area sources, consumer products (like pesticides, consumer coatings like paint, sealants, adhesives and paint strippers) account for 5 of the top 10 EPA identifed high health risk contributors to air pollution.
Improved air pollution regulation has resulted in some decline of outdoor air pollution. However, there is a lack of available accurate data on Mobile and Area sources which are the largest contributors to outdoor air pollution.
Very limited air monitoring is performed in Essex County to confirm estimates and self-reported emission levels. No air monitoring is performed in NSAIR’s three target communities.
Indoor Air pollution is considered by EPA to be 80 percent more harmful than outdoor air pollution, with the bulk of this pollution caused by consumer products.

Air pollution is linked to human health in a number of ways. Air pollution plays a role in cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes; pulmonary diseases including asthma, reduced lung function and bronchitis; and cancer (especially lung cancer). The collected health data showed increased levels of respiratory illnesses, asthma, heart disease and cancer rates in the study’s three target communities as compared with State age-adjusted rates.

At least 45 percent of the population of Essex County is vulnerable to health problems exacerbated by or caused by air pollution. Particularly sensitive populations include those with heart and lung conditions, those with other diseases such as diabetes, children under 18, and seniors over 65.
Asthma: New England’s asthma epidemic is apparent in the targeted communities. Asthma was the largest single contributor to respiratory hospitalization, at a rate of more than 50 percent for each of the three communities. Asthma-related hospitalizations increased dramatically in the three target communities between 1990 and 2003: 130 percent in Beverly, 60 percent in Marblehead, and 47 percent in Salem.

Salem experienced significant rates of asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations for children. For example, compared with the rest of the State, asthma-related ER visits for Salem preschoolers (ages 0 to 4) were 81 percent higher.

Cardiovascular: Regarding heart disease, Salem and Beverly both showed increased cardiovascular mortality rates when compared with age-adjusted rates for the State. Salem had an increased pre-mature cardiovascular mortality rate as well, reflecting those people who died prematurely, under the age of 75.

Cerebrovascular (including strokes) hospitalizations or deaths were increased in each of the three target communities as compared with State age-adjusted rates.

Cancer: Cancers of most types were elevated in two of the three target communities. In Salem, rates for lung cancer incidence and mortality were elevated above comparable State rates. In Beverly these rates were elevated for females only.