Atmospheric air quality in Poland in the context of pollutant emissions from the municipal and domestic sector in the years 1990-2023 and their impact on the health of children and adolescents

The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of selected air pollutants from the residential sector to the total emissions in Poland from 1990 to 2022 and to evaluate their impact on the incidence of selected diseases among children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years. The study used data on emissions of selected pollutants (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, total suspended particulate matter, particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) obtained from the National Centre for Emission Balancing and Management (KOBIZE). The analyses also included data on the incidence of selected diseases among children and adolescents, obtained from the Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice, Health Department, and the National Health Fund (asthma, hypertension, allergic contact dermatitis caused by substances introduced into the body, allergic food-induced inflammation of the stomach, small intestine, and colon). The data covered the period from 1990 to 2023. The obtained results clearly indicate that emissions from the municipal and domestic sector have a significant impact on the overall emissions of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulate matter. Studies have often shown very strong and statistically significant connections between the concentration of analyzed air pollutants and the occurrence of selected diseases in children and adolescents aged 0-18.