The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States has declared that it will be tougher on air pollution Standards
The EPA specifically lowered the maximum yearly concentration of the lethal pollutant that each state is permitted to have in order to target fine particulate matter, or the microscopic particles of pollution that can enter the lungs, through the introduction of a stricter air quality standard.
In an agency news release announcing the revision, EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated, “This final air quality standard will save lives and make all people healthier, especially within America’s most vulnerable and overburdened communities.” “People can have more active and productive lives and our children will have brighter futures with cleaner air. The EPA noted that “a broad and growing body of science” links particulate matter to serious, and often deadly, illnesses such as lung cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, neurological disorders, asthma attacks and stroke. The new standard was met with a positive response.
Also read:US Health Officials Ask Major Cities To Use Indoor Masks During The “Triple Demic”
Air Pollution Standards
According to Abigail Dillen, head of the nonprofit organization Earthjustice, “the Biden administration is taking lifesaving action to protect people and rein in deadly pollution,” as was said in an EPA news release. “The science makes perfect sense. Pollution from fine particles, or soot, is lethal. Heart disease, the current asthma epidemic, and other critical disorders are being driven by it. Children and senior Americans who reside in low-income and communities of color bear the brunt of the suffering. The action was praised by other health advocates.
Air Pollution Standards
The American Lung Association’s assistant vice president for healthy air, Laura Kate Bender, told NBC News that “it’s very clear that particulate matter kills people and makes people sick.” Over time, we’ve also seen that particle matter is more dangerous at lower levels than was previously realized.” Prior to the announcement of the revised air quality standard, a state’s permitted yearly concentration of particulate matter could not be more than 12 micrograms per cubic meter. The American Lung Association, among other health organizations, has recommended reducing that threshold to 8 micrograms per cubic meter.
Air Pollution Standards
The current EPA regulation, which establishes an annual threshold of 9 micrograms per cubic meter, more closely resembles that stricter limit. It’s a significant and important development. Francesca Dominici, a data scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told NBC News that “it’s definitely a victory for public health.” In addition, Bender stated that although the new guideline is “not as robust as the Lung Association had advocated for, it’s going to save a lot of lives.”
Just how many lives could be saved?
The EPA estimated that the new standard would prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths in the first year the new standard is fully enforced; states won’t need to meet the tougher limit until 2032.
The agency also noted that the lower limit will yield up to $46 billion in health benefits by lowering the number of lost workdays and reducing emergency room visits. Bender said that figure is likely an undercount. When it comes to all of the health impacts of particle pollution, there’s not always a way to monetize it or to put a number on it,” she said. The EPA estimates that 52 counties across the U.S. will miss the mark. Of those, 23 are in California. Bender noted that California has faced “really significant air pollution challenges compared to the rest of the country.”
Air Pollution Standards
Wildfire smoke and traffic pollution are likely the main contributors to California’s problem, Dominici said. “Because of climate change, wildfires are becoming more extreme and more frequent,” she explained. “And we do know that when there are wildfires, this level of [particulate matter] can go very, very, very high.”
Air Pollution Standards
Air Pollution Standards
Also read-US Health Officials Ask Major Cities To Use Indoor Masks During The “Triple Demic”
images source: Google
Disclaimer: The opinions and suggestions expressed in this article are solely those of the individual analysts. These are not the opinions of HNN. For more, please consult with your doctor
