THE SCOURGE OF SOOT

35,700 Deaths Could Be Prevented Annually by Strong Soot Standards; New report analyzes health benefits of long overdue protective soot standards
November 16, 2011 (EarthJustice)

"Up to 35,700 premature deaths can be prevented in the United States every year if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strengthens the health standards for fine particulate matter—also known as soot—according to a new report, Sick of Soot: How the EPA Can Save Lives by Cleaning Up Fine Particle Pollution…

"Soot, technically known as PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less), is generated by coal-fired power plants, diesel and other vehicles, agricultural burning, wood stoves and industrial combustion. Though the pollution particles in soot are tiny—1/30th the width of a human hair—they can have a huge impact on human health…"

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"The Clean Air Act requires that the EPA set national air quality standards for soot at levels that protect public health with a margin of safety. To adequately protect children, seniors and people with lung disease, heart disease, and diabetes from these dangers…[the report] shows that the EPA should tighten the current standard to an annual level of 11 μg/m3 and a daily level of 25 μg/m3.

"…[This would prevent]…35,700 premature deaths…2,350 heart attacks…23,290 visits to
the hospital and emergency room…29,800 cases of acute bronchitis…1.4 million cases of aggravated asthma…and…2.7 million days of missed work or school due to air pollution-caused ailments…[benefitting especially the nation’s major metropolitan regions like] Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA…New York-Newark-Edison, NY-NJ-PA…[and] Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI…[as well as saving] as much as $281 billion annually..."