A new report from the American Thoracic Society shows how tightening federal air-pollution standards would pay off in better health and longer lives.
The report says loose standards for ozone and fine-particles lead to more than 200 people in the Mountain West dying prematurely each year. And the pollution would make 500 fewer people sick each year if EPA adopted the stricter air-quality standards recommended by the society.
“What this paper shows us is that levels of air pollution that we previously called ‘not bad’ actually are contributing to increased deaths,” said Rob Paine, a Salt Lake City pulmonologist and thoracic society member.
When regulators propose lower limits on ozone and fine-particle pollution, industry protests because of the added cost to the bottom line. But thoracic society’s report turns that idea on its head. It shows the cost to human health when air-pollution standards aren’t tough enough.
“Now the regulatory groups can look at that [data] and say: Is it worth the effort it takes to improve our air quality in order to have fewer deaths?”
One striking finding was how many lung-cancer cases could be avoided if EPA lowered acceptable pollution standards to the levels suggested by the thoracic society. It would mean 28 fewer cases in Idaho and 16 less in Utah. There would be 10 fewer in Montana and 2 less in Colorado.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Yellowstone Public Radio in Montana, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.
