Lung Health News, Fall 2001 / Winter 2002
The health of more than 29 million Californians is at risk due to poor air quality in 33 California counties. That’s the number of counties receiving an "F" grade from the American Lung Association in its State of the Air 2001 report, which was released during its Clean Air Month in May.
The annual report card looks at ozone air pollution (smog) based on data from 1997-1999, the most recent available from the Environmental Protection Agency, and grades and ranks counties across the nation based on how often their air exceeds "unhealthful" ozone levels.
According to the report, 382 U. S. counties received an "F" grade, , up from 333 in 2000. In California, the same number of counties received an "F" as in 2000, but the number of people affected increased by nearly one million.
"Californians’ health remains threatened by air pollution," says Robert Fick, MD, immediate-past president of the California Thoracic Society, the medical section of the American Lung Association of California. "Ozone affects people’s ability to breathe."
Recent Study Links Ozone to Asthma
Ozone is a highly reactive form of oxygen that results primarily from the action of sunlight on hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides emitted in fuel combustion, with diesel exhaust being a major contributor to ozone air pollution. Ozone levels typically rise during the period between May and October when higher temperatures and increased amounts of sunlight combine with the stagnant atmospheric conditions.
Ozone is particularly problematic because relatively low ozone levels can affect even healthy people’s ability to breathe. Ozone exposure may lead to shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing and coughing. Long- term exposure can result in reduced breathing ability and increase the risk of respiratory disease later in life.
Also troubling is a recent study conducted at the University of California, Davis, which raises the possibility that ozone air pollution is contributing to the rise of asthma in children living in urban areas. Young monkeys exposed to ozone developed many of the features of human asthma, including increased numbers of activated inflammatory cells.
Association Advocates for Policies to Reduce Emissions
"Clearly, we must do more to cut emissions significantly if we are to bring ozone levels down so that it’s safe for children, the elderly, and even healthy adults to spend time outdoors on warm, sunny days," Dr. Fick says.
The American Lung Association of California has been working hard in California to reduce emissions from electricity generation as well as gasoline and diesel-powered cars, buses and trucks by advocating the steady transition to cleaner technologies such as natural gas, fuel cells and electricity.
The association is achieving some success in encouraging local transit districts around the state to switch to cleaner-fueled vehicles. The organization has also been instrumental in blocking industry attacks on the state’s landmark zero emission vehicle program, which will put 15, 000 zero emission vehicles on the road by 2012.
Thanks to a grant from the Energy Foundation, American Lung Associations around the state are working at the local level to secure cleaner vehicle ordinances and encourage public agencies and private businesses to buy cleaner- fueled vehicles such as those powered by electricity, natural gas and fuel cells or hybrid vehicles that run on gas and electricity.
For county specific details on the State of the Air 2001 report and the American Lung Association’s efforts to reduce air pollution, visit www.californialung.org.
State of the Air 2001 Report Card
The following counties received an "F " grade for ozone air pollution:
Alameda
Amador
Calaveras
Contra Costa
El Dorado
Fresno
Imperial
Kern
Kings
Los Angeles
Madera
Mariposa
Merced
Nevada
Orange
Placer
Riverside
Sacramento
San Bernardino*
San Diego
San Joaquin
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara
Santa Clara
Shasta
Solano
Stanislaus
Sutter
Tehama
Tulare
Tuolumne
Ventura
Yolo
*Worst county ranking nationwide.
