Air quality–related health damages of food
Nina G. G. Domingo, Srinidhi Balasubramanian, Sumil K Thakrar, Michael Clark, P. J. Adams, Julian Marshall, Nicholas Z. Muller, Spyros Ν. Pandis, Stephen Polasky, Allen L. Robinson, Christopher W. Tessum, David Tilman, Peter Tschofen, Jason Hill
Abstract
Significance Poor air quality is the largest environmental health risk in the United States and worldwide, and agriculture is a major source of air pollution. Nevertheless, air quality has been largely absent from discussions about the health and environmental impacts of food. We estimate the air quality–related health impacts of agriculture in the United States, finding that 80% of the 15,900 annual deaths that result from food-related fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) pollution are attributable to animal-based foods. By estimating these impacts and exploring how to reduce them, this work fills a critical knowledge gap. Our results are relevant to food producers, processors, and distributors, and to policymakers and members of the public interested in minimizing the negative consequences of food.