Patch Voices
Atlanta’s Air Quality is Improved, but Not Enough to Ease Regulatory Standards
'US EPA and Georgia EPD should focus on making sure Atlanta is prepared to meet the next level of air pollution requirements, rather than spending time on the paperwork exercise for the 1997 standard.'
by Colleen Kiernan Breathing smog is like getting a sunburn on your lungs. It inflames your airways, making it more difficult to breathe. Smog is especially tough on kids, who pound-for-pound breathe more air in their developing lungs than adults. For many years, smog was thought to just impact people who already had respiratory conditions, but more recent studies have shown that it can cause respiratory disease and impair lung function in otherwise healthy people. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is charged with establishing safe levels of ambient air quality for a variety of pollutants, and revisit them periodically to make sure they are consistent with the latest scientific research about what levels of those pollutants are …
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