Related
Paper
/ Dec 22,2021
Excess Morbidity and Mortality
Associated with Air Pollution above ATS Recommended Standards, 2017-19
Case Study
/ Feb 19,2020
Cromar and Colleagues Show that Meeting
ATS Air Quality Standards Would Save Lives
Director of Health, Environment, and Policy, Kevin Cromar, and Doctoral Researcher Laura Gladson along with E. Anne Hicks (University of Alberta), Brenda Marsh (Oregon Health & Science University), and Gary Ewart (American Thoracic Society) have published “Excess Morbidity and Mortality Associated with Air Pollution above American Thoracic Society Recommended Standards, 2017–2019” in Annals of the American Thoracic Society. With research funding from the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the researchers compare ATS’ standards with EPA’s. Healio quotes Cromar:
This year’s ‘Health of the Air’ report provides new recommendations from the American Thoracic Society for federal air quality standards for fine particulate matter. It lays out the scientific rationale that was used in developing these new recommendations, which call for a revised PM2.5 annual standard of 8 µg/m3 as well as recommending the short-term PM2.5 standard be revised to 25 µg/m3.
The journal article notes:
Meeting ATS recommendations throughout the country prevents an estimated 14,650...deaths; 2,950...lung cancer incidence events; 33,100...morbidities, and 39.8 million...impacted days annually...This prevents 11,850 more deaths; 2,580 more lung cancer incidence events; 25,400 more morbidities; and 27.2 million more impacted days than meeting EPA standards alone.