Air Quality, Climate and Health

Everyone has the right to breathe clean air! Clean air is essential for human health, thriving ecosystems, and a sustainable economy. On most days in Minnesota, our air is clean and healthy for us to breathe. However, on some days, things like weather and wildfire smoke can create unhealthy air. Climate change affects air quality and exposure to air pollutants in many ways. Specific air pollutants that are likely to be increased by climate change and result in negative health impacts include particulate matter, ozone, pollen, and mold. Read through our Air Quality Summary (PDF) for a closer look at the details.

New! Minnesota Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care

How does air quality impact health?

Breathing unhealthy air can lead to minor health impacts, such as a scratchy throat or watery eyes, or to more severe effects like asthma attacks or possibly premature death. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) contributes to several efforts to understand and improve the effects of air quality on our health.

For more information:

• Why you should care: air quality and health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Health and Air Quality, Minnesota Department of Health.
• Life and Breath Report: How Air Pollution Affects Public Health in the Twin Cities, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

How does climate change impact air quality?

Climate change may affect exposures to air pollutants and allergens in three main ways:

1. Creating both more windiness and more air stagnation events: On calm days, air can be stagnant and pollutants can hang in the air as smog. On windy days, smoke and other air pollutants can blow into the region from other places causing poor air quality.
2. Increasing temperatures: With higher temperatures, the demand for air conditioning can lead to increased pollution because more fossil fuels need to be burned to create more electrical power.
3. Lengthening the growing season: Climate change is lengthening the allergy season, increasing the potency of allergens, and introducing plants with more allergenic pollen.

Where does air pollution come from?

For more information:

• Air Pollutants and Sources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Particulate matter

Particulate matter comes in different sizes (coarse and fine) and from a number of sources, including:

• Dust and other small particles from construction, mining, and agriculture.
• Fossil fuel combustion by factories, power plants, and diesel and gasoline vehicles.
• Wildfires and wood burning for home heating.

Acute exposure to particulate matter can result in short-term impairment of lung function and possibly death. Long-term exposure can result in serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancers, and possibly death.

For more information:

• Air Quality: Fine Particle Pollution, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires, Environmental Protection Agency.

Ground-level ozone

Ozone is a gas that occurs both at ground-level and in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Atmospheric ozone protects life on Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. However, ground-level ozone is harmful to human health and vegetation. Ground-level ozone is formed by the reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight and heat. Having too much ground-level ozone can be harmful to our health. Exposure to ground-level ozone can make existing health conditions, such as allergies and asthma worse, and can decrease lung function, cause new-onset asthma, and possibly lead to death.

For more information:

• Ozone, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Allergens

Climate change is lengthening the growing season for allergenic plants, increasing production of pollen, and increasing the potency of the pollen. This may impact the approximately 25 million people in the U.S. who already suffer from hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and potentially increase the number of allergy sufferers. The current health care costs for treatment of hay fever reach over 11 billion dollars annually.

Mold growth also is aided by climate change from increasing temperatures and precipitation. Mold can cause coughing, wheezing, nasal and throat irritation, and can have a greater impact on people with asthma or weakened immune systems.

For more information:

• Minnesota Pollen and Health Data, MN Public Health Data Access Portal.
• National Allergy Bureau.

Who's most at risk?

Some people are more affected by poor air quality because of increased exposure to pollutants. Individuals who work outdoors may be exposed to outdoor air pollutants for long periods of time, and truck drivers can experience long-term exposure to exhaust emissions. These are examples of chronic exposure. Athletes also may be at increased risk because their rapid breathing allows them to take in more air during outdoor activities and therefore more pollutants. This is an example of acute exposure.

Some people are more affected by poor air quality because of increased sensitivity. Young children and the elderly are especially sensitive to changes in air quality. Others who may have an increased sensitivity include individuals with an existing health condition, such as:

• Allergies, National Allergy Bureau.
• Asthma, Minnesota Asthma Program.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Minnesota Department of Health.
• Heart Disease, Minnesota Department of Health.

Health, climate change, and air quality training module

The MDH Climate & Health Program presented a Health, Climate Change & Air Training webinar in 2017. As part of a seven-part series focused on health and climate change issues in Minnesota, the webinar and training module cover the observed climate changes in Minnesota, the public health issues related to climate change and air quality, and public health strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change to reduce the health impacts. The training module can be referenced as a general education tool or as a "train the trainer" module for local public health professionals.

Missed the session? View the webinar recording above. 

Additional resources

• Climate Change, Asthma & You (PDF), (Asthma Poster), Public Health Institute
• Climate Change, Asthma & You (PDF), (Asthma Kids Poster), Public Health Institute
• Climate Change, Allergies & You (PDF), Public Health Institute
• Climate Change and Health, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
• Current Air Quality Index, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Healthy Air, American Lung Association
• Life and breath (PDF), Minnesota Department of Health & Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Minnesota Areas of Environmental Justice Concern, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Minnesota Health and Air Quality Data, MN Public Health Data Access Portal
• Particle Pollution and Your Patients' Health, Environmental Protection Agency

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