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Outdoor Air Quality
How does air pollution affect your health?
Health standards: what do they mean?
The EPA has established two types of health standards for pollutants-primary and secondary.
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The EPA has established two types of health standards for pollutants-primary and secondary.
This web site will only discuss
the primary standard as it relates to human health.
Air quality standards are based upon measured concentrations of each pollutant. These measurements are usually in milligrams or micrograms per cubic meter of air, over a standard time period. These standards are usually based on populations or individuals who are especially sensitive to the effects of the particular pollutants.
Some pollutants may have several standards, one each for several timeframes. For example, fine particulate matter has an annual average of 15 micrograms per cubic meter and a 24-hour average of 65 micrograms per cubic meter. This means that the average concentration over one year should not be higher than 0.000000015 grams per cubic meter and the average over one day should not be higher than 0.000000065 grams per cubic meter. If levels are higher than these standards, damage to public health or welfare may occur.
Because the different standards for different compounds make the air pollution picture a complex one, EPA has developed a simplified air quality index (AQI) to rate the overall air quality for the citizens at greatest risk. EPA uses the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
The AQI diagram looks like this:
There are no national or Connecticut air ambient quality standards for air toxic compounds, except for lead. The only standards that presently exist are based on workplace exposure and are generally set at higher levels over a shorter time frame than are ambient standards (for example, a workplace exposure might be 8 hours, while an ambient exposure might be 24 hours). Some air toxic compounds may be extremely dangerous at low levels, and many (such as dioxin) are known to cause cancer.
The effects of air pollution on human health are extremely complex. Since we are all constantly exposed to an air pollution "soup," made up of various compounds, it is difficult to say which chemicals cause which diseases. In general, however, ozone and fine particles are the most widespread pollutants and may have the greatest health effects.
As concentrations of ozone and particulate matter in the air increase, sensitive individuals and the general public may suffer various health problems, including
| If ozone and fine particle levels are high, people should limit both outdoor and indoor activities. If the weather is hot, people should spend more time in a cool environment, preferably one that is air-conditioned. Sensitive individuals, including the elderly, children, and people with asthma, must be especially careful. |
Toxic air compounds, or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), can also have other, sometimes more severe, effects. Some HAPs are known or probable human carcinogens. Others can affect the nervous system, especially in children. A more complete discussion of the health effects will be found for each grouping of pollutants.
There are many things that citizens can do to help reduce air pollution in their cities.
Transportation consumes about 25 percent of the total energy used in the United States. When people drive they are responsible for releasing harmful chemicals into the air.
How you address air pollution in your home can have a big effect on the environment and on you and your family's health. The choices you make at home affect the amount of pollution outside your home as well as inside.
If you would like to report an Air Pollution Complaint, please call: (860) 424-3436