You can see everything on the NYC Subway
Photo: ANDRÉS CORREA GUATARASMA
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Researchers from New York University (NYU) concluded that users and workers of subway public transport in New York City have been exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution.
The study, published last week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that the New York transit system exposed passengers to more inhaled pollutants than any other metropolis in the northeast of the country.
Researchers from NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine monitored the air in 71 stations Metro on 12 transit lines during Rush hours in the morning and in the evening Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, before the pandemic.
The PATH system, connecting stations in Manhattan with various cities in New Jersey, had the highest concentration of particles in the air with 392 micrograms per cubic meter. The NYC MTA Subway ranked second with 251; followed by the Washington Metro with 145, and the Boston Metro with 140 micrograms per cubic meter, according to a press release.
The Christopher Street PATH station in Manhattan’s West Village had the worst air quality, with a level 77 times higher than the typical concentration of pollutants in the city atmosphere.
The air in the station is comparable to that of forest fires and the demolition of buildings, according to the study, cited by Fox News.
Daily exposure to concentrations of fine particles in excess of 35 micrograms per cubic meter poses serious health risks, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Workers and travelers may have a increased risk of heart and lung problems depending on the duration of exposure.
“We have previously carried out air quality tests on subways that operate in our system and we found no health risks; however, we will review this study thoroughly, as the safety of customers and employees is always our top priority, ”said Tim Minton, MTA communications director, in a statement to the New York Post.
NEW RESEARCH: PM2.5 Concentration and Composition in Subway Systems in the Northeastern United States. Read the article ➡️ https://t.co/urpIc1xk72 @nyulangone @NorwalkHospital @uabSOPH
— Environmental Health Perspectives (@EHPonline) February 10, 2021
Study finds dangerous levels of #air pollution in #NYC #subways, #PATH #MTA
What is the plan @NYGovCuomo @mta @NYCMayor https://t.co/gXr4rasHlt— Mike P. (@Mike1012) February 11, 2021
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