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. 2024 Jul 26;21(8):976.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph21080976.

Temporal Trends in Air Pollution Exposure across Socioeconomic Groups in The Netherlands

Niklas Hlubek  1 , Yvonne Koop  1 , Alfred Wagtendonk  2 , Ilonca Vaartjes  1
Affiliations

Temporal Trends in Air Pollution Exposure across Socioeconomic Groups in The Netherlands

Niklas Hlubek et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Air pollution exposure has been linked to detrimental health outcomes. While cross-sectional studies have demonstrated socioeconomic disparities in air pollution exposure, longitudinal evidence on these disparities remains limited. The current study investigates trends in residential air pollution exposure across socioeconomic groups in the Netherlands from 2014 to 2019. Our dataset includes over 12.5 million individuals, aged 18 years and above, who resided in the Netherlands between 2014 and 2019, using Statistics Netherlands data. The address-level air pollution concentrations were estimated by dispersion models of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment. We linked the exposure estimations of particulate matter < 10 or <2.5 μm (PM10, PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to household-level socioeconomic data. In highly urbanized areas, individuals from both the lowest and highest socioeconomic groups were exposed to higher air pollution concentrations. Individuals from the lowest socioeconomic group were disproportionally located in highly urbanized and more polluted areas. The air pollution concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 decreased between 2014 and 2019 for all the socioeconomic groups. The decrease in the annual average air pollution concentrations was the strongest for the lowest socioeconomic group, although differences in exposure between the socioeconomic groups remain. Further research is needed to define the health and equity implications.

Keywords: NO2; PM10; PM2.5; air pollution; environmental inequality; longitudinal; socioeconomic.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Annual average PM2.5 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity. Annual average PM2.5 concentrations (µg/m3); nationwide and by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas) (b) Annual average PM10 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity. Annual average PM10 concentrations (µg/m3); nationwide and by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas). (c) Annual average NO2 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity. Annual average NO2 concentrations (µg/m3); nationwide and by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas).
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Annual average PM2.5 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity and SEP group. Annual average PM2.5 concentrations (µg/m3) by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas) and socioeconomic position (SEP) group (1—lowest to 5—highest). (b) Annual average PM10 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity and SEP group. Annual average PM10 concentrations (µg/m3) by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas) and socioeconomic position (SEP) group (1—lowest to 5—highest). (c) Annual average NO2 concentrations in the Netherlands for the period 2014–2019 by urbanicity and SEP group. Annual average NO2 concentrations (µg/m3) by urbanicity (rural to moderately urbanized and highly urbanized areas) and socioeconomic position (SEP) group (1—lowest to 5—highest).
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