Environmental impact estimation of PM 2.5 in representative regions of China from 2015 to 2019: policy validity, disaster threat, health risk, and economic loss

AbstractPM2.5 pollution used to be severe in China and the government has been devoted to PM2.5 control in recent years. Based on the latest multisource data and advanced algorithms, systematic environmental impact estimation of PM2.5 is achieved to demonstrate its trend and impacts under control policy. Policy validity is proved by a significant decrease in PM2.5 concentration (28%), energy intensity of GDP (13%), particulate matter emission (29%), and PM2.5 exceedance probability (51%) from the nation level. However, it still does not meet the requirement of WHO, and industrial and domestic sources are dominant for PM emission. The disaster risk index of air pollution is proposed to quantify and compare PM2.5 threat in 31 provinces, and risk gradually declines in 24 provinces except steady trend in Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Tianjin, Ningxia, Sichuan, Liaoning, and Tibet. Henan, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Hebei, Shaanxi, Tianjin, Ningxia, Jiangxi, Heilongjiang, and Anhui are identified as 10 high-risk regions with distinct driving factors. Current disease burdens attributable to PM2.5 exposure of provincial capitals in high-risk regions indicate huge health risks and economic losses. The heaviest health burden and economic burden are separately in Tianjin with 604,101 (95% CI: 302,796, 874,058) cases and 5.45% (95% CI: 2.73%, 7.89%) of population, and in Xi ’an with 3122.24 (95% CI: 1398.55, 4274.53) million dollars and 2.31% (95% CI: 1.04%, 3.16%) of GDP. Results can provide references f...
Source: Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research