By: Tyler Jacobs

A LOOK INTO OUR AIR QUALITY

Utah’s beautiful skyline is to be considered one of the state’s many attractions, so when fog makes the mountains less visible, people notice. This fog comes from air pollution, lets take a better look into Utah’s air quality…

Air quality is the degree to which the surrounding air is pollution-free, it is assessed by measuring a number of indicators of pollution. There has been two kinds of pollutants evaluated in Utah’s Air report. Particulate matter which is made up if soot and dust particles one-seventh the width of a strand of human hair or less. A research associate says that in Utah, especially during winter, a big cause of particulate matter pollution is people burning wood in fireplaces or stoves. Air quality across Utah is to be recorded as the most toxic in recent history.

Air Quality

This is a view of Salt Lake City from Twin Peaks during an inversion .

THE FACTS SAY IT ALL…

• A recent Forbes magazine study ranked Salt Lake City as the ninth most toxic city in the United States. (Forbes Magazine, 2/28/11). Of these top 10 most toxic, SLC has the highest Toxic Release Inventory.

• The American Lung Association gives Salt Lake County a rank of "F" for the two most important components of air pollution, ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5).

• Salt Lake County is officially classified by the EPA as “non-attainment” with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10, PM2.5, SO2.

• Air pollution monitors recently installed in the Uintah Basin measured ozone concentrations exceeding federal health standards more than 68 times in the first three months of 2010. Air pollution exacerbates existing asthma in adults and children and causes asthma and respiratory infections in those who are not otherwise predisposed.

THE FACTS SAY IT ALL…

• Air pollution increases SIDS (sudden death syndrome), low birth weight syndrome, the premature birth, and infant mortality.

• Air pollution increases the incidence of the most common forms of childhood cancers, especially leukemia.

• Air pollution increases genetic damage in newborns, which may lead to heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancers in your adulthood. These can be passed on to subsequent generations.

• Air pollution increases rates of sudden death, heart attacks and strokes. It increases blood pressure and shortens life expectancy.

• Using the formula published by the American Heart Association, between 1,000 and 2,000 Utahn’s die prematurely annually because of air pollution.

SALT LAKE CITY’S HAWTHORNE MONITORING STATION EXCEEDED FINE PARTICULATE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

AIR QUALITY IN UTAH AND POLLUTION’S IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH

Deseret news posted this video about poor air quality that has become common in Utah and how it can effect our health. Susan Woods from Utah League of Cities and Towns goes more in depth about the topic.http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865592294/Video-Air-quality-in-Utah-and-pollutions-impact-on-our-health.html?pg=all

The Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club believes any plan to reduce air pollution in Utah valleys must include:

• Smart growth strategies that result in less dependence on motorized travel.

• Increased dependence on mass transit and alternative transportation modes to include development of a mass transit plan that serves the majority of urban commuters.

• Increased support for carpooling and use of car pool lanes by multi-occupant users rather than those who pay for the privilege.

• (The following list was taken from the recommendations of several groups working to improve air quality in Utah. These are the Department of Air Quality PM 2.5 Workgroup, the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club Conservation Committee).

• Reduction of emissions permitted from point sources, i.e. Rio Tinto and refineries.

• Free use of UTA during the winter inversion season Nov. 15 through March 15. Paid for by state general fund or partial diversion of the gasoline tax.

• Increased collaboration/citizen group input with UDOT and Wasatch Front Regional Council in the development of transportation master plans to ensure less emphasis on highway development and more emphasis on alternative transportation.

• Increased state and local support for alternative fuel based transportation to include: enhanced infrastructure development to support electric and natural gas vehicles, and increased/extended tax, licensing and HOV lane incentives.

• Adopt California standards on diesel emissions.

• Strict no idling ordinances.

• Phase out of wood and coal burning stoves and fireplaces. Gradual phase out with subsidy or tax credit for those totally dependent on those sources for heat.

• Resume 4-day work week for state employees.• Staggered office work hours (Flex-Time/expanding hours of commute).• Adjust vehicle tax so that it is inversely proportional to emissions, especially from diesel engines.• Broadcast PM2.5 levels daily on freeway message boards, not just during red and yellow alert days.

Expand this message system to all freeway message boards, not just some of them.• Broader education campaigns about the health affects of pollution.• Launch campaigns to encourage families to allow their kids to walk and ride their bikes to school.• Increased collaboration with UTA to ensure mass transportation master plans that more effectively

provide effective transportation alternatives.• Ensure/require emissions permitted from point sources, i.e. Rio Tinto and refineries, meet or exceed

EPA human health standards.• Support election of public officials who support clean air and a healthy environment.• Advocate that all new electric energy supplies for the state of Utah should come from renewable

resources.• The establishment of air pollution warning indices that promotes the safety of pregnant women and their

unborn children.• A goal of attaining 25% of Utah’s power from renewable energy sources by the year 2020.• Provide medical expertise to organizations working on urban planning, renewable power, increasing fuel

efficiencies, and transportation alternatives.

Continued…

WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY.

• Participate in energy conservation programs.

• Limit driving by carpooling

• Use public transportation

• Try biking and walking.

• Combine errands for fewer trips.

• Avoid excessive idling of your automobile.

SOURCES.• http://www.health.utah.gov/asthma/pdf_files/Evaluation/

asthma_action_plan_final_report.pdf

• http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2014/05/050814_slc-air-quality-gets-f.php

• http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865592294/Video-Air-quality-in-Utah-and-pollutions-impact-on-our-health.html?pg=all

• http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/57322168-90/hawthorne-health-http-lake.html.csp