Atlanta advocacy group urges action on air quality
The Brief
Mothers & Others for Clean Air held a news conference during Air Quality Awareness Week, urging Atlanta leaders to invest in clean air initiatives amid worsening pollution levels.
The American Lung Association's 2025 "State of the Air" report ranks Atlanta as the Southeast's third-worst city for ozone pollution and ties it for fourth-worst in year-round particle pollution.
Advocates warn that federal cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency jeopardize public health and hinder efforts to improve air quality in Georgia.
ATLANTA - As the nation observes Air Quality Awareness Week, the advocacy group Mothers & Others for Clean Air held a news conference Tuesday to highlight growing concerns over the city's air quality and to call for stronger investments in clean air initiatives.
What we know
The event coincides with the CleanMed 2025 conference, a national healthcare sustainability gathering taking place this week in Atlanta. The group emphasized the urgency of addressing air pollution, citing the American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air" report, which gave poor grades to several metro Atlanta counties.
RELATED: Atlanta's air quality among worst in Southeast, report finds
What they're saying
The organization called on city leaders to commit to substantial air quality investments, stressing that clean air is essential for the well-being of all residents.
Air Quality Awareness Week, observed from May 5–9, aims to increase public understanding of air pollution and its health impacts. The theme for 2025 is "Stay Air Aware," encouraging individuals and communities to be mindful of air quality in their daily lives.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Biden admin admitted chances of cancer affecting East Palestine residents after Norfolk Southern crash was ‘not zero,' bombshell emails show
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration admitted possible cancer-causing toxins were spread in East Palestine, Ohio, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in 2023, explosive new emails show, despite the White House insisting residents were safe. 'The occurrence of a cancer-cluster in EP [East Palestine] is not zero,' FEMA recovery leader James McPherson wrote in a March 29, 2024, email to other public health officials — a little more than a year after the crash. 'As you all are aware, the first 48 hours of the fire created a really toxic plume,' he said in the chain of communications, which were first reported by News Nation. 4 'The occurrence of a cancer-cluster in EP [East Palestine] is not zero,' Federal Emergency Management Agency recovery leader James McPherson wrote in a March 29, 2024, email. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images Just two months earlier, President Biden had excoriated 'multimillion-dollar railroad companies transporting toxic chemicals' for the fiasco — but praised his administration's 'herculean efforts' to resolve the 'vast majority' of East Palestine's problems. The crash spewed harmful chemicals into the air and resulted in 115,000 gallons' worth of carcinogenic vinyl chloride undergoing an open burn — displacing residents and leading to reports of strange illnesses as well as the death of livestock in the weeks following the Feb. 3, 2023, disaster. Michael Regan, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, showed up on Feb. 22 with TV cameras in tow to capture himself drinking from the local water supply, and months later claimed unequivocally that people in East Palestine were 'not in danger.' 4 President Biden excoriated 'multimillion-dollar railroad companies transporting toxic chemicals' for the fiasco — but praised his administration's 'herculean efforts.' AP 'Since the disaster, EPA has collected more than 100 million air monitoring data points and more than 25 thousand samples in and around the community,' Regan said in an Oct. 17, 2023, statement. 'This data collection continues, and ongoing science-based reviews show that residents of East Palestine are not in danger from contaminated drinking water, soil, or air from the derailment.' But a watchdog group that has been investigating the toxic fallout from the train derailment said the Biden administration's approach was 'flawed' from the start — and has now released emails obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests to prove it. 4 Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan showed up on Feb. 22 with TV cameras in tow to capture himself drinking from the local water supply. C-SPAN 'They didn't always test for the right chemicals; they didn't test in the right locations; they didn't have the right detection limits,' Government Accountability Project investigator Lesley Pacey told The Post, saying the Biden admin wasn't 'worrying about public health' but, rather 'public reassurances.' 'They delayed testing for dioxin, and then when they did the testing for dioxin — and also did the testing in people's homes for other chemicals — they used Norfolk Southern contractors, and those contractors used equipment that wasn't correct,' said Pacey, who's been investigating the incident. 'They completely botched this event from the very beginning.' So-called 'ASPECT' planes that monitor air quality weren't deployed due to apparent bad weather until four days after the derailment, she added, when they should have been flown within eight hours of the incident. 4 The federal response also lacked robust monitoring of the water supply and ignored agency policies in order to burn the harmful chemicals, according to Pacey, leaving East Palestine natives 'acutely very, very ill.' Bloomberg via Getty Images The federal response also lacked robust monitoring of the water supply and ignored agency policies in order to burn the harmful chemicals, according to Pacey, allowing East Palestine natives to get 'very, very ill.' The new emails — including batches from FEMA, the EPA, the White House, the National Security Council and the Justice Department, which later settled with Norfolk Southern for $310 million to redress harms to the Ohio community — also show that one year after the chaos admin officials were still discussing the need to develop a 'tripwire to identify cancer clusters.' Biden, who was diagnosed earlier this month with an 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones, often claimed that his late son Beau died from a brain cancer possibly caused by exposure to toxic fumes while serving in Iraq. He also claimed in a 2022 speech that he had cancer due to growing up near oil refineries in Claymont, Delaware, though the White House maintained he was referencing 'non-melanoma skin cancers' that had previously been removed.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Winds push smoke from Canadian wildfires south into US and worsen air quality
Air quality in some parts of the United States is worsening as smoke from dozens of wildfires in Canada travels south, pushed by winds high in the atmosphere. Air quality in Arrowhead, Minnesota, is deemed unhealthy for people and animals sensitive to pollution and other airborne particles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow page. Moderate air quality is being reported across other parts of northeastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, the Chicago area, southwestern Michigan and the state's eastern Upper Peninsula, northern Indiana and western Ohio. Over the next day or so, particulates from the burning trees, leaves and other vegetation could reach further south into Oklahoma, Tennessee and Arkansas, said Patrick Ayd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, Minnesota. Murray Kinsey, owner of a houseboat company just outside of Babbitt, Minnesota, said the sky Friday was 'hazy," but anglers still were fishing on nearby Birch Lake. 'It's getting a little hard to breathe,' Kinsey said. 'But it's not terrible. We've had it before, but it's been way worse.' What is AQI and who is at risk? The Air Quality Index — AQI — measures how clean or polluted the air we breathe is on a daily basis. The index focuses on the health effects that might be experienced within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. AQI is calculated based on ground-level ozone, particle pollution or particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in this country. The index ranges from green, where the air quality is satisfactory and air pollution poses little or no risk, to maroon, which is considered hazardous. That level comes with health warnings of emergency conditions where everyone is more likely to be affected, according to AirNow. On Friday morning, the AQI showed orange around the Arrowhead, Minnesota, area, which Ayd said is a concern for people with chronic conditions, the elderly and young children. 'They really should limit their time outdoors,' he added. The level below orange is yellow and considered moderate, where the air quality is acceptable. That is what is showing Friday for some other parts of the Midwest. But fine particle levels are expected to reach the red air quality index in northern Minnesota, a level that is unsafe for everyone, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality said it is monitoring air quality levels and advised individuals to limit prolonged outdoor activities. To limit exposure to unhealthy air quality, people should stay indoors with windows and doors closed. Avoid heavy exertion outdoors, using fans or swamp coolers that take air from outside, all wood-burning appliances, and lighting candles and incense. Where are the Canadian wildfires? Nearly two dozens wildfires were burning in the Canadian province of Manitoba, which is just north of Minnesota and North Dakota. So far this year, the province had had more than 100 wildfires. On Wednesday, Manitoba declared a state of emergency as the fires forced 17,000 people to evacuate homes in several communities. Canada's wildfire season runs May through September. Its worst-ever wildfire season was in 2023. It choked much of North America with dangerous smoke for months. 'We are getting the smoke,' said Kevin Doom, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Chicago. 'The winds way up in the atmosphere — 10,000, 20,000 feet up — are blowing in from the north today. Minnesota is kind of taking the brunt at the moment.' 'The wind is going to drag that smoke down over the next day or two,' Doom added. Doom said a little haze was showing Friday morning over Chicago. 'It will keep moving with the wind,' he continued. 'But over time, it will continue to disperse, mix in with the air until it gets thinner and thinner until it fades away.' How did past wildfires impact air quality?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Saharan dust plume coming to Florida's air. Is it dangerous? How to protect yourself
Floridians may be treated to brilliant sunsets soon as two huge plumes of Saharan dust blow over the state, starting at the end of May. But for some people, dust in the air can mean anything from an itchy throat to more serious, lasting conditions. Every year from around June to September, a mass of sand, dirt and dry, dust air from the North Africa desert is pulled into the atmosphere to blow west. It's called the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), and it can help keep the hurricane season calmer as it dries out the air over the Atlantic and Caribbean basins. It's a thin layer, and many people may not even notice it other than marveling at the suddenly more vibrant skies at dusk. But it's still dust. Particulate matter is not good for human lungs. "Saharan dust lowers air quality by increasing the concentration of mineral dust, things like silica and quartz," Dr. Samuel Gurevich, a pulmonologist with Cleveland Clinic in Florida said in an email. "These tiny particles can travel deep into the lungs and cause significant inflammation." The dust also tends to make the air drier, which can further irritate airways, Gurevich said. This might mean a runny nose or itchy eyes. "But, for people with respiratory conditions, it can cause more serious symptoms or flare ups," he said. Studies have shown dramatically increased admissions to emergency rooms for asthma, pneumonia, heart failure and respiratory events during dust storms. A 2020 study in Miami showed a marked increase in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ER visits during a Saharan dust event. Here's what to know. "People with respiratory conditions, like asthma and COPD (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema), are especially vulnerable," Gurevich said. "Exposure to the dust can trigger asthma attacks or COPD flare-ups, leading to serious symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing, and sometimes sever enough to require an ER visit." Saharan dust can also affect people living with heart disease or diabetes, and it's especially risky for babies, children, pregnant women and older adults. The effects can last for weeks after exposure, Gurevich said. Gurevich suggests staying indoors on bad days with poor air quality, with the windows closed and the air-conditioner running. Air purifiers can help, especially if fitted with HEPA filters. "If you need to go outside, consider wearing a dust or surgical mask," he said. "And if you're driving, make sure to keep the windows up and the AC on to help filter the air." If you have a respiratory condition, keep your inhalers and medications with you and ready to use at all times, If you're with someone who has asthma, especially younger children or older adults, keep an eye on them as they may not recognize or speak up about their symptoms right away. Extra precautions should be taken for children, who are more susceptible to poor air quality, according to the American Lung Association. Their lungs are still developing, and they breathe in more air (and consequently more pollution) for their size than adults. And don't forget your pets. You can track air quality in your area at Even healthy people may experience irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath during times of heavy dust. The symptoms should fade once you remove yourself from the area or the air quality improves. "If you notice difficulty breathing, wheezing or tightness in the chest, or if your inhaler isn't helping like it should, don't wait for symptoms to worsen," Gurevich said. "Seek medical care right away. The longer you wait, the harder and more dangerous it is to treat." If you're not sure, the American Lung Association's Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA is staffed by nurses and respiratory therapists and is a free resource to answer any questions about the lungs, lung disease and lung health, including how to protect yourself during days of poor air quality. Particle pollution is ranked based on the size of particulate matter (PM) — a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets — in the air, according to the EPA. It's also called particle pollution. Particle pollution is ranked as: PM10: Inhalable particles with diameters generally 10 micrometers and smaller PM2.5: Fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. That's 30x smaller than the diameter of the average human hair. The microscopic solids and droplets can get into the lungs and possibly the bloodstrea This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Saharan dust to sweep over Florida. Here's how to protect your airways
