Effect of air-pollution control on death rates in Dublin, Ireland: an intervention study

Particulate air pollution episodes have been associated with increased daily death. However, there is little direct evidence that diminished particulate air pollution concentrations would lead to reductions in death rates. We assessed the effect of air pollution controls—ie, the ban on coal sales—on particulate air pollution and death rates in Dublin. Concentrations of air pollution and directly-standardised non-trauma, respiratory, and cardiovascular death rates were compared for 72 months before and after the ban of coal sales in Dublin. The effect of the ban on age-standardised death rates was estimated with an interrupted time-series analysis, adjusting for weather, respiratory epidemics, and death rates in the rest of Ireland. Average black smoke concentrations in Dublin declined by 35·6 μg/m 3 (70%) after the ban on coal sales. Adjusted non-trauma death rates decreased by 5·7% (95% Cl 4–7, p