# Presentation: 820082

## Particle Pollution: It’s a Serious Concern

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

**Template Presentation for Regions**

## What is particle pollution?

**What is particle pollution?**

**Particle pollution** is a complex mixture of extremely small               particles and liquid droplets.
- Some of these particles – called **fine particles – are just 2.5 micrometers 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**.

***The particles in particle pollution****** are so small, you can’t see just ******one of them ...***

## 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. (The risk of heart attack   increases for 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.

## 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 **premature death**** **from heart and lung disease.

## And it damages the view

**And it damages the view**

**High concentrations of ***fine particles*** are a major component of 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.***

## Reducing particle pollution 

- Efforts to protect the public from particle pollution include:
**National air quality standards for *****fine particles*** 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; as well as the Clear Skies Act.

## Check AQI forecasts to protect your health

- 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.

## Who needs to protect themselves? How?

*The table at left provides at-a-glance messages that recommend protective actions at different levels of particle pollution. These messages apply to particle pollution only. For information about protecting yourself from ozone or a combination of ozone and particles, go to **www.epa.gov/airnow.*

## 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.***

- For more information on the AQI, call:
**Alison Davis**
**	****media contact –  919-541-7587;     ****	**** **** **_**da**__[vis.alison@epa.gov](mailto:avis.alison@epa.gov)_
**Debbie Stackhouse****outreach contact – 919-541-5354;    ****	****  **_[s](mailto:stackhouse.debbie@epa.gov)__[tackhouse.debbie@epa.gov](mailto:stackhouse.debbie@epa.gov)_** **
**Susan Stone****health contact – 919-541-1146; ****	****  **_[stone.susan@epa.gov](mailto:stone.susan@epa.gov)_** **
**Richard "Chet" Wayland ****meteorologists contact – 919-541-4603;    **_[wayland.richard@epa.gov](mailto:wayland.richard@epa.gov)_** **