The Polluters Down the Street-EPA Changes Put Lives at Risk | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.

"An orange or red ranking for the day's pollution levels is enough to drive her exercise session indoors. "I have noticed myself [that] just being outside when the air quality is poor, it takes a little bit more to get my run in," she said in an interview with NPQ. As the senior director of nationwide advocacy for clean air at the American Lung Association (ALA), Scott is all too aware of the effects of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and ozone on the body,"

"It's estimated that around 230,000 early deaths a year have been saved as a result of the act, and that the average person in the United States has gained an additional 1.5 years to live. That increases to five years in parts of West Virginia and Ohio where there has historically been heavy industrialization, mining, and the dumping of toxic waste into waterways, like the Cuyahoga River."

Liz Scott checks an air quality app daily and avoids outdoor exercise when pollution ranks orange or red. Particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone contribute to lung disease, heart disease, cancers, and asthma. Most states have seen declines in days with PM2.5 above WHO recommendations. The 1963 Clean Air Act, amended in 1970 and 1990, limits emissions from major polluters such as coal plants, steel mills, and oil refineries. Approximately 230,000 early deaths a year have been prevented, and average U.S. life expectancy has increased by 1.5 years, rising to five years in heavily industrialized regions. The EPA quantifies health benefits and incorporates them into cost-benefit analyses for regulation.

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