Fine particle pollution can penetrate deep into the lungs and has been linked to a broad range of serious health problems, including premature death, heart attacks, and strokes, acute bronchitis, and aggravated asthma among children. A federal court ruling required EPA to update the standard based on best available science.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized an update to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including soot, setting the annual health standard at 12 micrograms per cubic meter. By 2020, 99% percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet revised health standard without any additional actions.
Today’s announcement has no effect on the existing daily standard for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), which includes dust from farms and other sources), both of which remain unchanged.
“These standards are fulfilling the promise of the Clean Air Act. We will save lives and reduce the burden of illness in our communities, and families across the country will benefit from the simple fact of being able to breathe cleaner air,” says EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
It is expected that fewer than 10 counties, out of the more than 3,000 counties in the United States, will need to consider any local actions to reduce fine particle pollution in order to meet the new standard by 2020, as required by the Clean Air Act. The rest can rely on air quality improvements from federal rules already on the books to meet this new standard.