Environmental Protection Agency Finalizes Stronger Air Quality Standards

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2024 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a tougher air quality standard that takes aim at fine particulate matter by lowering the allowable annual concentration of the deadly pollutant that each state can have.

"This final air quality standard will save lives and make all people healthier, especially within America's most vulnerable and overburdened communities," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in an agency news release announcing the change. "Cleaner air means that our children have brighter futures, and people can live more productive and active lives."

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.

Reaction to the new standard was enthusiastic. "The Biden administration is taking lifesaving action to protect people and rein in deadly pollution," Abigail Dillen, president of the nonprofit law organization Earthjustice, said in the EPA news release. "The science is crystal clear. Soot, otherwise known as fine particle pollution, is a killer. It is driving heart disease, our asthma epidemic, and other serious illnesses. The people who suffer most are children and older Americans who live in communities of color and low-income communities."

Before the new air quality standard was announced, the allowable annual concentration of particulate matter within a state could not exceed 12 µg/m3. However, the American Lung Association and other health groups have called for that limit to be lowered to 8 µg/m3. The new EPA standard hews more closely to that tougher standard: It sets an annual threshold of 9 µg/m3.

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 will not 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.

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2024-02-10 22:15

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords