CLIMATE ACTION FOR HEALTH: CLEANER AIR, LESS PLASTIC

In conjunction with World Environment Day 2026, which focuses on climate action, we should bring the climate message closer to everyday life. Climate action is not only about protecting forests, oceans or the planet. It is also about protecting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the health of our families. In this context, climate action must also mean reducing everyday pollution that can affect public health.

In Malaysia, two hidden pollutants deserve attention. They are traffic-related air pollution and microplastic pollution. These pollutants are not always visible. However, they can enter the human body through breathing, food, and daily exposure.

In our recent study published in PLOS ONE, we compared a high-traffic urban area in Kuala Lumpur with a low-traffic village area in Sungai Lui Village, Hulu Langat, Selangor. The study found that traffic-related air pollution was much higher at the Kuala Lumpur site. In particular, the level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of harmful chemicals mainly produced from petrol and diesel combustion, was higher in the high-traffic area. This shows that busy roads not only cause traffic jams but also contribute to pollution that may affect human health.

In another study published in Environmental Research, our team found that adults living in high-traffic areas had about twice the levels of PAHs in their blood serum compared with those living in low-traffic areas. This finding suggests that traffic pollution does not remain on the road. It can enter our bodies. It may also contribute to long-term health risks.

A further study published in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology showed that adults living in high-traffic areas had shorter telomere length, which may indicate higher biological stress from long-term environmental exposure. In simple words, polluted air may place stress on the body over time. Therefore, traffic pollution should not be treated only as a transport issue. It is also a public health issue.

At the same time, microplastic pollution is becoming another concern. In our recent studies on food products in Malaysia, microplastics were found in all samples tested. These included baby food products such as formula, puree, biscuits, and cereals, as well as yogurt products. This finding should not create panic among parents.

However, it should encourage action from food producers, regulators, researchers, and consumers. Infants are more vulnerable because they eat more in relation to their body weight. Their bodies are also still growing and developing. This is why food safety should now include emerging pollutants such as microplastics.

Climate action should not stop at reducing carbon emissions. It should also reduce the pollution that people are exposed to every day. For traffic-related air pollution, one practical step is to improve public transport so that it is cleaner, safer, more reliable, and easier to use. When public transport becomes a better choice, fewer people will depend on private vehicles, helping to reduce traffic congestion.

To reduce traffic-related air pollution, cities should focus on practical steps that reduce congestion and people’s exposure to roadside pollution. These include improving public transport, managing traffic flow around busy areas such as schools and hospitals, providing safer pedestrian routes, and encouraging flexible working hours or carpooling. These measures may look simple, but they can reduce the time people spend in polluted traffic conditions and help improve air quality gradually.

For microplastics, action should begin with the way products are made, packed, and handled. Food manufacturers, especially those producing food for babies and young children, should review packaging materials and processing steps that may release plastic particles into food. At the same time, consumers can reduce exposure by avoiding heating food in plastic containers and choosing non-plastic containers when practical.

Reducing single-use plastics is also important, but individual action alone is not enough. Malaysia should start regular monitoring of microplastics in food, drinking water, and air, just as we monitor other food and environmental contaminants. This will help the country understand the level of exposure and decide on appropriate actions.

World Environment Day 2026 reminds us that climate action should be practical, local, and closely linked to health. Cleaner air and less plastic exposure protect people, not only the environment.

Associate Professor Dr. Ho Yu Bin
Associate Professor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Environmental Health
012-6140221
yubin@upm.edu.my

Date of Input: 02/06/2026 | Updated: 02/06/2026 | nadia_rahman