U of M study shows flight path of airplanes traveling to BWI cause negative health effects

BALTIMORE -- A study by the University of Maryland's School of Pharmacy shows that some flight paths to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport have a negative impact on the health of the state's residents, according to researchers.

These negative health effects are projected to cost Marylanders in excess of $40 million per year for the next 30 years, researchers said.

The study, titled "Projecting the Health and Economic Burden of Aircraft Noise," was compiled by Dr. Zafar Zafari and Jeong-eun Park.

Their study focuses on the health impacts of concentrated flight paths going to and from the airport ever since the Federal Aviation Administration implemented the Next Generation Air Transportation System in 2015.

The negative health effects were measured through qualquality-adjustedity adjusted life years and the medical economic burden on affected populations, according to researchers.

These health effects lead to costly hospitalizations. The study looks at that cost along with the direct and indirect costs of disease and lessening of life outcomes, researchers said.

Overall, these health effects will cost $1.2 billion spread out over three decades, according to researchers.

Public health measures must be taken to mitigate the noise threats, researchers concluded.