Deaths related to tailpipe gases could be far higher than previously estimated, with Australia’s emissions standards lagging far behind the developed world.
Tailpipe pollution contributes to the premature death of 11,105 Australians every year, according to new research.
The modelling from the University of Melbourne claims vehicle emissions in Australia are also to blame for more than 12,000 hospitalisations annually due to cardiovascular issues, along with almost 7000 respiratory hospitalisations per year.
The research also claims motor vehicle pollution is directly responsible for 66,000 active asthma cases annually.
The findings are based on an overseas study conducted by Environmental Health Intelligence New Zealand, which was scaled up to account for Australia’s larger population.
The claimed 11,105 deaths from vehicle emissions is almost ten times higher than Australia’s annual road toll, which took 1187 lives in 2022 according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.
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“Like smoking, vehicle emissions contribute to childhood asthma and recurrent lung infections. Adults are at higher risk of premature deaths, stroke, diabetes, heart, and lung disease from exposure to vehicle emissions. Air pollution is another risk factor for poor health,” Dr Vicki Kotsirilos, Melbourne-based GP and Doctors for the Environment Australia spokesperson said in a media statement following the report’s release.
“I routinely assess patients on how much air pollution they are exposed to when they present with heart or lung problems such as asthma or recurrent respiratory infections,” she said.
“Children are particularly at higher risk of being harmed by traffic pollution from idling cars – at schools, shopping centres, and childcare centres – and how close they live to a busy road.”
While the latest study factored in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), previous estimates cited around 2000 deaths in Australia annually from vehicle pollution – but did not factor in harmful NO2 emissions.
Despite scaling up the findings for Australia’s population, the reality could actually be much worse in some inner city areas.
New Zealand’s most densely populated city is Auckland, with 2373 people per square kilometre, while the greatest population density in Australia belongs to Melbourne’s inner north, with 31,100 people per square kilometre.
MORE: Auto industry pushes back on strict European emissions laws
The European Union is set to introduce ‘Euro 7’ emission standards from mid-2025, which includes a blanket limit on nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter emitted from cars – including fine particulates from tyres and brakes.
Australia currently only enforces ‘Euro 5’ emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (such as utes and vans), first introduced in Europe in 2009.
In June 2022, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) – the peak body representing all major car companies locally – renewed calls for the Australian Government to introduce stricter emissions targets for new cars.
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