Health Harms
Air and noise pollution from SeaTac airplanes is causing harm to our communities
Now let’s talk about how the air and noise pollution harms our health. The information we are sharing comes from the King County Public Health Community Health & Airport Operations Related to Noise and Air Pollution Report. They gathered related studies and health data then looked at the health of people living less than a mile, within 1 to 5 miles, and within 5 to 10 miles of SeaTac Airport. Then they compared the health of residents to the rest of King County.
Health Impacts From Air and Noise Pollution
King County Public Health’s report found that air and noise pollution causes or is likely to cause a number of illnesses.
- Noise pollution causes sleep disturbance and heart issues and chronic stress. (Page 31)
- Noise is likely to cause poor school performance among children and is associated with diabetes. (Page 31)
- Air pollution causes asthma, hypertension, heart attack, heart disease and stroke, dementia, diabetes and low birth weight. (Page 32)
The Injustices
Why Unjust?
We estimate that SeaTac Airport flights impact over 419,000 residents living near the airport and under its flight paths.
64% people of color (POC), 29% immigrants and refugees, 22% children, and 12% elders.
Our communities are more overburdened and vulnerable because we are in or near low income areas and lack access to healthcare.
Life expectancy is 1.7 years shorter in communities within 10 miles of the airport, 3.5 years shorter within 5 miles, and 5 years shorter within 1 mile.
Why are We more vulnerable?
Hospitalization Rates per 100,000
The King County Public Health report also looked at hospitalization rates. We think this is an undercount because many of our community members don’t have health care or can’t afford it. You can see how high hospitalizations are, the closer you are to SeaTac Airport, when compared to King County hospitalizations. The study looked at heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Hospitalization from Heart Disease
Hospitalization from Stroke
Hospitalization from Diabetes
Death Rate
