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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Gary Fuller

Poorest areas bear brunt of air pollution, US study shows

A traffic jam in New York City
The study found air pollution in the poorest parts of New York was 26% higher than in wealthier areas. Photograph: Mary Altaffer/AP

It has long been known that the poorest and those from minority ethnic communities shoulder the greatest burden from air pollution – and now a study has provided compelling evidence.

Researchers used sensors mounted on satellites and aircraft to map nitrogen dioxide across 11 major US cities. Clouds and snow on the ground prevented measurement on many days but the researchers were able to map the pollution exposure well enough to compare with census data.

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