The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new, stricter limits on a type of air pollution called fine particulate matter, or soot. Soot is made up of tiny particles that come from sources like power plants, vehicles, and wildfires. These particles are so small that they can get deep into our lungs and cause serious health problems, especially for children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases.
The new rule lowers the amount of soot allowed in the air from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter. The EPA says this change could prevent up to 4,500 early deaths, 290,000 missed workdays, and 800,000 asthma attacks each year by 2032. It could also save up to $46 billion in health costs.
Some business groups are worried the new rule will make it harder for companies to build new factories or expand existing ones in certain parts of the country. However, the EPA says that since 2000, soot levels have gone down by 42% while the economy has grown by 52%, showing that cleaner air and a strong economy can go hand in hand.
The new soot rule is especially important for communities of color and low-income areas, which often have higher levels of air pollution. Environmental and health organizations have praised the EPA’s decision, saying it will save lives and help make the air cleaner and healthier for everyone to breathe.
See “New air pollution rule could prevent thousands of premature deaths” by Maxine Joselow on the Washington Post (February 7, 2024)
