Study reveals Southern Californians at risk due to air pollution

LOS ANGELES—A new environmental study reveals that people living in Southern California and the Midwest are most at risk of death due to air pollution than any other place in the United States.

According to a report by the US Environmental Protection Agency published on the Risk Analysis Journal last month, it states, ”Southern California is estimated to experience the largest percentage of total mortality attributable to fine particulate matter across all ages, while the greatest percentage of mortality attributable to ozone is the highest in the industrial Midwest.”

Fine particulate matter is a term used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These particles, when breathed in, can irritate and damage the lungs causing breathing problems. These fine particles “can be absorbed into the blood stream or remain embedded for long periods of time,” the CDC said.

The World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study found that urban fine particulate matter was associated with about 28,000 premature mortalities in the United States, Canada, and Cuba.

The study was done to highlight “the size and location of public health risks associated with recent levels of fine particles and ozone, allowing decision-makers to better target air quality policies,” the EPA said in a statement to California Watch, an investigative news site.

The EPA studied air quality in 2005 and estimated between 130,000 and 340,000 premature deaths are attributable to fine particulate matter and ground level ozone, a secondary pollutant in the lower atmosphere.

Though Southern Californians are most at risk, the EPA said there are important air quality management programs set to be implemented in the near future that will improve the air quality in California and across the United States.

“US EPA projections of future air quality indicate that overall ambient levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone will decline significantly compared to those levels estimated here,” the EPA wrote.

According to the latest census, there are about 480,000 Filipinos who live in Southern California.