Impacts of Sugarcane Fires on Air Quality and Public Health in South Florida

Abstract

Background: Preharvest burning of sugarcane is a common agricultural practice in Florida, which produces fine particulate matter [particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ( )] that is associated with higher mortality. Objectives: We estimated premature mortality associated with exposure to from sugarcane burning in people age 25 y and above for 20 counties in South Florida. Methods: We combined information from an atmospheric dispersion model, satellites, and surface measurements to quantify concentrations in South Florida and the fraction of from sugarcane fires. From these concentrations, estimated mortalities attributable to from sugarcane fires were calculated by census tract using health impact functions derived from literature for six causes of death linked to . Confidence intervals (CI) are provided based on Monte Carlo simulations that propagate uncertainty in the emissions, dispersion model, health impact functions, and demographic data. Results: Sugarcane fires emitted an amount of primary similar to that of motor vehicles in Florida. from sugarcane fires is estimated to contribute to mortality rates within the Florida Sugarcane Growing Region (SGR) by 0.4 death per 100,000 people per year (95% CI: 0.3, 1.6 per 100,000). These estimates imply 2.5 deaths per year across South Florida were associated with from sugarcane fires (95% CI: 1.2, 6.1), with 0.16 in the SGR (95% CI: 0.09, 0.6) and 0.72 in Palm Beach County (95% CI: 0.17, 2.2). Discussion: from sugarcane fires was estimated to contribute to mortality risk across South Florida, particularly in the SGR. This is consistent with prior studies that documented impacts of sugarcane fire on air quality but did not quantify mortality. Additional health impacts of sugarcane fires, which were not quantified here, include exacerbating nonfatal health conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular problems. Harvesting sugarcane without field burning would likely reduce and health burdens in this region. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9957

Response to “Comment on ‘Impacts of Sugarcane Fires on Air Quality and Public Health in South Florida’”

“…Shapero et al. 1 claim the conclusions of our study 2 are undermined by “erroneous assumptions and misapplied technical approaches.” However, their letter ignores most of the evidence that we provided in our article, incorrectly describes the methods we used, and fails to identify any errors in our work.…”

Satellite data for environmental justice: a scoping review of the literature in the United States

“…In addition to exposure assessment and epidemiological studies on the health effects of air pollutants, satellite data have also been used to quantify differential burdens of air pollution in particular regions [89,107] and inform evaluations of the impacts of air pollution policies on exposure disparities [77,85,138]. For example, Clark et al used indirect satellite measurements to estimate the potential health benefits of eliminating national racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in NO 2 exposure and proposed an environmental inequality ranking system by urban area, county, and state [77].…”

<strong><em>Supplemental Analyses for</em></strong><strong> Comment on “Impacts of Sugarcane Fires on Air Quality and Public Health in South Florida”</strong>

“…The authors also selected these particle formation factors because they "resulted in dispersion modeling data commensurate with surface monitor observations" (Nowell et al, 2022). From a modeling perspective, it is inappropriate to use secondary particle formation as a knob to turn in order to scale up the model outputs to match an erroneous a priori assumptions about PM2.5 during sugarcane harvest.…”