Study finds hazardous air quality in subway system

August 8, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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CITYWIDE — A RECENT STUDY by NYU researchers found that the air on NYC subway station platforms contains on average four times the amount of particulate matter considered safe by Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, and nine times higher than those of the World Health Organization, reports the Guardian. These tiny particles can penetrate the lungs and cause heart and respiratory issues, according to lead researcher Masoud Ghandehari. The particles include a “staggering” amount of iron fragments thrown up by wheels and tracks, and older and deeper stations had worse air quality on average; the study also noted that low-income and minority workers with longer commutes were disproportionately affected, with Black and Hispanic commuters being found to have 35% and 23% higher rates of exposure than white and Asian riders.

“We have 5 million riders per day. Imagine the human impact one may be having in a single day in the New York City subway system,” Ghandehari said.

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