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US tightens air quality standards | US tightens air quality standards |
(10 minutes later) | |
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US is tightening air quality standards in an effort to help improve public health. | |
It is lowering the amount of smog-forming ground-level ozone permitted in the atmosphere for the first time in more than 10 years. | |
The EPA says the change could save 4,000 lives each year. | |
However, scientists and health campaigners say the changes have not gone far enough. | |
Unlike stratospheric ozone, which forms a protective layer high above Earth's surface, ground-level ozone can harm people's lungs and aggravate conditions such as asthma, as well as increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. | |
Ground-level ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides mix with volatile organic compounds. Man-made sources of these emissions include power plants, motor vehicle exhaust, industrial facilities, gasoline vapours and chemical solvents. | |
Industry anger | |
The new permitted ozone level has been reduced from 80 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion. | |
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said that by signing "the most stringent" ozone standard ever, the agency was meeting requirements of the Clean Air Act. | |
However, the EPA's own clean air scientific advisory committee had unanimously recommended setting a standard no higher than 70 parts per billion. | |
US-based campaigners Clean Air Watch say the reduction does not go far enough. | US-based campaigners Clean Air Watch say the reduction does not go far enough. |
"Unfortunately, real science appears to have been tainted by political science," said Clean Air Watch president Frank O'Donnell. | "Unfortunately, real science appears to have been tainted by political science," said Clean Air Watch president Frank O'Donnell. |
This decision by the EPA to lower the ozone standard unnecessarily will impose significant new burdens on states and others American Chemistry Council | |
"The Bush Administration is compromising public health to save industry money." | "The Bush Administration is compromising public health to save industry money." |
There also concerns that the high cost of the new lower limits could hurt the economy. | |
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) said in a statement that there was "no clear and substantial basis" for tightening the standards, which would impose significant burdens on states. | |
John Kinsman, a senior director for environment at the Edison Electric Institute, which represents power companies, told the Associated Press news agency that tightening the rules would inflict economic hardship on hundreds of counties nationwide. | |
The EPA said the cost of implementing the standards, ranging from $7.6bn to $8.5bn (£3.7bn to £4.1bn), would be outweighed by health benefits, valued at up to $19bn (£9.3bn). | |
It said those benefits included preventing cases of bronchitis, aggravated asthma, hospital and emergency room visits, non-fatal heart attacks and premature death. |