# Presentation: 107133

## Particle Pollution: It’s a Serious Concern

**Particle Pollution: ****It’s a Serious Concern**

**Notes:**
Thank you for inviting me to talk with you today about one of the most significant environmental health threats we currently face: fine particles.
In the next 20 minutes, I’ll talk about what fine particles are, where they come from – and why it’s important that you care – because fine particles are linked to significant health problems, and because these same particles damage visibility in our cities and most treasured natural areas.
I’ll also review what EPA is doing to combat the particle problem – including outlining our schedule for implementing national fine particle standards – and what regional and local efforts may be necessary as we work to reduce this damaging pollutant.
Finally, I’ll share our Air Quality Index for Particles -- a tool that you and members of your community can use every day to help protect your health.

## So small, you can’t see just one of them ...

**Particle pollution** is a complex mixture of extremely small               particles and liquid droplets.
- Some of these particles – called **fine particles – are just 2.5 microns in diameter**. That’s 40 times *smaller* than the average grain of table salt!
- The size of particles is directly linked to their **potential for causing health problems**.
- Particle pollution also contributes to **reduced visibility, or haze**.

**Notes:**
Just what IS particulate matter?
When we talk about particulate matter – or PM – we’re generally talking about two groups of particles.
	►	The first group comprises particles larger than 2.5 microns in diameter. These particles are called coarse particles.
	►	Particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less are known as fine particles – or PM 2.5.
	►	This slide gives you an idea of just how small fine particles are. The picture on the left is an electron micrograph showing an average human hair – with a diameter of about 70 micrograms. 
	►	The illustration on the right shows two particles compared to a cross-section of that hair.
	►	The particle on the left is 10 microns in diameter; the one on the right is 2.5 microns in diameter. The diameter of the hair is nearly 30 times larger than the fine particle. 
The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. 
Both groups of particles can affect health. But I’m going to focus this presentation on fine particles (PM 2.5), because they have been linked more closely with the most severe health effects.
I’ll talk more about fine particles and health in a moment. But first, let’s talk briefly about where fine particles come from.

## Many sources; occurs year-round

**Particle pollution comes from a variety of sources****, **including:
- wind-blown dust (larger particles)
- combustion sources
**cars and trucks**
**industry**
**power plants **
**fires**
- Fine particles** **can be **emitted directly** into the air, or they can **form from gases** that react in the atmosphere.
**Particle pollution can occur year-round** -- and may be worse in the fall and winter, depending on where you live**.  **

## Particle pollution affects your lungs

**You are exposed to particle pollution simply by breathing polluted air.**
**Exposure increases when you exercise, because you breathe more vigorously and deeply than usual.**
**People exposed to particles may experience a number of respiratory symptoms, including:**
-   **airway irritation;**
**  ****cough;**
**  ****phlegm;**
**  ****decreased lung function;**
**  ****airway inflammation;**
**  ****asthma attacks; and **
**  ****chronic bronchitis**

***Particle pollution can penetrate into the part of your lungs known as the alveoli, which deliver oxygen to the bloodstream.***

## And particle pollution affects your heart

**Particle pollution has been linked to changes that indicate your heart isn’t as healthy as it should be. Those include:**
** ****	****Arrhythmias**** **and **changes in heart rate.**
**  ****Changes in the ****variability of your heart ****	****rate.**** **Your heart rate should increase, for 	example, when you run and return to 	normal when you sit quietly. Decreased 	variability is a risk factor for heart attacks.
** ****Blood component changes**** **that signal 	inflammation, and increased likelihood of 	potential blood clots, which can lead to heart 	attacks.
- Some studies have shown that particle exposure causes **heart attacks**. And particles are linked with **death from heart disease****. **

***Particle exposure ******has been linked ******to heart attacks.***

## Some groups are at greater risk

**People with heart or lung diseases **are 	more vulnerable to particle pollution 	because of 	their conditions (such as 	congestive heart disease, coronary artery 	disease, asthma, or chronic 	obstructive 	pulmonary disease.)
**Older adults**** **also are considered at risk, 	because they are more likely to have heart 	and lung disease. (In the case, the term 	“older adults” means men 45 and older 	and women 55 and older.)
**Children** are at risk (primarily from chronic 	exposure), because they are more likely to 	be active, they breathe more air per pound 	of body weight than adults, and their bodies 	are still developing.

**Notes:**
Groups of people particularly at risk from fine particle pollution are:
people with heart or lung diseases, such as congestive heart disease, coronary artery disease, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
Older adults
and children. 
These groups each include tens of millions of people. 
Together, these three groups may make up as much as 40% of America's total population. However, not all of these people live in areas with unhealthy particle levels. People in these sensitive groups who live in areas with good air quality, for example, would be at lower risk than those living in polluted areas.
And there is some overlap in the groups. People with heart or lung diseases include a large proportion of older adults and children, for example.

Although HEALTHY people, including children, are unlikely to experience serious effects, they may experience respiratory symptoms like those I described a moment ago. Particulate matter can also increase one's susceptibility to respiratory infections.

## It’s a serious public health concern

**When particles aggravate heart and lung diseases, **that, in turn, means increases in:
**Hospital admissions **
**Doctor and emergency room visits **
**Medication use**; and
**Absences from work or school**.
**Particle pollution is linked to significant public health risks – including **to **premature death**** from heart and lung disease.**

**Notes:**
Should you care about fine particles? Yes. Fine particle pollution is a serious problem. In fact, EPA sees fine particles as its one of its top air pollution priorities Fine particles ARE NOT a summertime phenomenon, however.  Particle pollution occurs year-round, and may be even worse in the fall and winter.  

## And it damages the view

**And it damages the view**

- Although individual fine particles are too small to see, **high concentrations of fine particles are a major contributor to haze.**
**Haze dramatically reduces visibility. **In the West, a normal “visual range” is about 140 miles when it’s clear. Because of haze, the current range is 33 to 90 miles.
- In the East, a normal range is 90 miles (it’s shorter in the East because of higher humidity). Haze has cut that range to 14 to 24 miles – and in the summer, often less than 10!

***The pictures above show the difference between clear and hazy days in Chicago in the summer of 2000.  Both photos were taken from the same location.***

**Notes:**
(Left photo – PM 2.2 at 5 ug/m3. Right – 35 ug/m3)
In addition to being a serious public health threat, fine particles also affect other areas of our lives – including our views. 
That haze can be significant. 
Just look at these photos of the Chicago skyline in the summertime. I don’t need to tell you the air in the city is polluted. You can see it.
The time of year haze is worst varies based on location. In the East, haze is worst in the summer, when it’s more humid.
You don’t have to live in an urban area to be affected by haze.
Because fine particles are stable and can travel long distances in the atmosphere, they also affect the visibility at our national parks and natural treasures.  
Historically, a visual range in the western United States is about 140 miles under clear conditions. In the East, it’s 90 miles (shorter than in the west because of higher average humidity).
But haze cuts the visual range dramatically. In the West, the current range is 33 to 90 miles. In the East, it’s only 14 to 24 miles – and in the summer is often less than 10!
These photos are a case in point. The photo on the left shows the Great Smoky Mountains on a clear day – with a visual range of more than 60 miles. On the right, the visual range is only 4 miles.
EPA is working improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas – through national standards and our 1999 Regional Haze Rule. As required by the Clean Air Act, the haze rule seeks to restore visibility in national parks and wilderness areas to natural conditions.

## Reducing particle pollution 

- Efforts to protect the public from particle pollution include:
**Standards for *****fine particles ***– the ones you can’t see without an electron microscope -- to be implemented beginning 2007.
**Existing emission reduction programs, **which already reduce some particle-forming pollution;
**Rules not yet in effect**, such as EPA’s rule to control emissions from non-road vehicles & equipment; and
- The **Clear Skies Bill**, which will dramatically cut pollution from power plants and will significantly reduce fine particle pollution.

## Check AQI forecasts to protect your health

**Until the country meets its clean air goals, you can take**** ****simple steps to protect yourself ****from particle pollution.**
**Get in the habit ****of checking your local**** Air Quality Index forecast **_**every**_** **_**day**_**.**_** **_
**When particle pollution levels are predicted to be high****, change your plans ****to reduce the amount of pollution that gets in your lungs.**

- AQI forecasts tell you whether particle levels are expected to be high – and suggests steps you can take to protect yourself.
- Those steps vary, depending on whether you’re in one of the groups more at risk from particle exposure.

## EPA’s AIRNow web site includes links to daily particle pollution forecasts – and information on how you can use those forecasts to protect yourself.

**EPA’s AIRNow web site includes links to daily particle pollution forecasts – and information on how you can use those forecasts to protect yourself.**
**www.epa.gov/airnow**