Air Pollution & Autism
With the recent WHO report stating air pollution is now responsible for more deaths globally than smoking, diabetes and road deaths combined, more research has linked air pollution to autism. Harvard University researchers in a nationwide US study “showed that exposure in the womb to diesel, lead, manganese, mercury, methylene chloride and an overall measure of metals was “significantly associated with autism spectrum disorder, with the highest association from exposure to diesel exhaust.”
For those readers of MEC blog posts who are planning to have a family and live near a busy road/highway it may be prudent to move if you can or if not, to delay the onset of pregnancy till such times that you can relocate. Many studies have made this link and the mounting body of evidence suggests the dramatic increases in the incidence of autism spectrum disorder are directly linked to exposure of polluted air.
The internal combustion engine has been useful but the time is right to change to cleaner transport. Why are successive Australian governments delaying the introduction of incentives to encourage clean transport? It would benefit our economy, our energy security, our health care system and our environment. As we keep saying at My Electric Car – it’s time to ditch the toxic vehicle fleet.
