Breathing

EPA Tightens Restrictions On Dangerous Type Of Air Pollution

At a Glance

The new rule sets stricter air quality standards on fine particulate matter including pollution from vehicles, power plants and industry.
The agency says the move will save thousands of lives and millions of dollars each year.
Fine particulate matter is especially dangerous because it can get deep into our lungs and bloodstream.

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The Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on a dangerous type of air pollution that scientists say is responsible for the early deaths of thousands of people in the U.S. each year.

The agency finalized a new rule Wednesday that sets tighter air quality standards on fine particulate matter - including pollution from vehicles, power plants and industry.

What The New Rule Does

The updated standard knocks maximum levels down to 9 micrograms of fine particle pollution per cubic meter of air. The previous limit was 12 micrograms.

The EPA monitors air quality on county and state levels, and says 99% of U.S. counties are already on track to be in compliance with the tighter standard by 2032.

While some industry experts pushed back, health and environmental experts say the move will save thousands of lives and millions of dollars in healthcare costs.

FILE - Emissions rise from the smokestacks at the Jeffrey Energy Center coal power plant as the suns sets Sept. 18, 2021, near Emmett, Kan. The Biden administration is setting tougher standards for deadly soot pollution, saying that reducing fine particle matter from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) — Emissions rise from the smokestacks at the Jeffrey Energy Center coal power plant as the sun sets Sept. 18, 2021, near Emmett, Kansas.
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Why This Matters

One in three people in the U.S., or about 120 million, live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 “State of the Air” report.

Fine particulate matter is especially dangerous. Thirty times smaller than a strand of hair, it can reach deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

“This type of pollution can cause heart disease, chronic lung disease, preterm labor and more major health problems that lead to more than 4 million premature deaths globally each year,” weather.com meteorologist Kait Parker said.

The EPA estimates the new rule will prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths a year nationwide and yield up to 290,000 lost workdays, producing up to $46 billion in net health benefits within the next decade.

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