Dr. Clif CleavelandCurrent regulations for air quality do not adequately protect the health of the elderly and other vulnerable people. This is the conclusion of research and an accompanying editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Dec. 28, 2017).
The Federal Clean Air Act of 1963 empowered the government to conduct research into monitoring and controlling air pollution. Subsequent amendments to the act established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Review of the standards is required every five years.
The Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970 to consolidate all research and regulations into the effects of pollution on human health.
The most recent update of NAAQS in 2012 set the upper limit of ground-level ozone at 70 parts per billion (PPB) during an eight-hour period. Concentrations above this level are deemed unhealthy. A 24-hour standard for fine particulate matter was set at 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
Ozone results from chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and a variety of volatile, chemical compounds that are found in fuels, solvents and industrial chemicals. Hot, sunny weather promotes these reactions. Ozone damages cells lining bronchial passages. Sore throat and cough result. Lung function decreases with continuing exposure. Symptoms are more intense in people with asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Infants and children are especially sensitive to ozone’s toxic effects.