EPA today tightened limits on emissions of fine particulate matter, a harmful pollutant that can lodge deep in the lungs and exacerbate a range of serious health conditions. Photo courtesy iStockphoto
In a move widely applauded by the public health community, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new rule today to strengthen clean air protections against fine particulate matter, or soot.
The rule tightens limits for soot by 20 percent, lowering emissions of one of the most dangerous air pollutants.
“The public health community applauds these long overdue stronger standards,” said Georges Benjamin, executive director of APHA, in a statement. “Science clearly links exposure to fine particulate matter to premature death, increased hospitalization and worsening of a range of health conditions, including heart attack, stroke and asthma.”
“This rule protects communities across the country from dirty, harmful air,” Benjamin said. “It’s a public health victory for everyone, but particularly for children, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions who are at increased risk.”
The new rule lowers the limit of current annual exposure standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter down to a standard of 12. EPA did not lower the 24-hour fine particle standard or the coarse particle standard, known as PM 10, despite evidence that both standards need strengthening.
In announcing the rule, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said, “These standards are fulfilling the promise of the Clean Air Act. We will save lives and reduce the burden of illness in our communities, and families across the country will benefit from the simple fact of being able to breathe cleaner air.”
While some have raised concern that communities will be challenged to meet the stricter limits, EPA said that by 2020, 99 percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet the revised health standard without any additional actions.
“Initiatives that will reduce particle pollution from diesel trucks, power plants and other sources are already on the books and will help many areas of the country meet this new health standard,” said Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association, in a news release. “But, the promise of the Clean Air Act, clean, healthy air for all, still needs to be kept. This new standard moves us closer to that goal.”
1 comment
Smokeghost says:
Dec 22, 2012
As long as the schemes and regulations implemented target the worst polutors at the localised level and is fair to those who follow good practices, i.e. not by simply following a rule book of a ‘one size fits all’ approach with common sense and flexibility being introduced to the framework that may at times severely challenge common sense. It will be responsible to audit the schemes to maintain that compliance is granted in a consistant and fair manner from small business to monopolising energy – government and NGO feeding corporation. If the audit process is not responsible to fair business practice, then good luck with its future and green energy futures markets. Ensure the approach is multi-lateral and not too top heavy. You have lawyers competing as well as industry on this one, and the ones at the bottom can always organise and have the strings to the over-bureaucratic/ authoritarian and inefficient cut. Health is not the central goal, it’s the spin doctor socio-commercial catalyst and EPAs network of bad science will also some day be properly exposed.