Clean Air News

Cincinnati Ranks Second Worst in Ohio and #11 Nationwide

As the new home of Ohio PIRG's environmental work, Environment Ohio can be contacted regarding this news release.  

CINCINNATTI—Cincinnati ranked 2nd statewide and 11th nationwide for the worst fine particle, or “soot,” pollution among large metro areas in 2004, according to a new report released today by the Ohio Public Interest Research Group (Ohio PIRG). Ohio ranked 5th nationwide for soot pollution.

“Cincinnati has some of the worst soot pollution in the nation, which especially impacts senior citizens and children because they are more prone to asthma attacks and other serious health problems,” said Selena Hoffman, field organizer at Ohio PIRG.

Power plants are the largest source of fine particle pollution, which is formed when sulfur dioxide and other pollutants react in the atmosphere.

Here in the Cincinnati area, power plant emissions have increased dramatically over the last several years. Between 1996 and 2003, emissions increased 83% at the Miami Fort plant in Hamilton County and 54% at the Walter C Beckjord plant in Clermont County.

Because of their small size, fine particles can bypass the body’s natural defenses, such as coughing and sneezing, and lodge deep in the lungs or even pass into the bloodstream, causing serious respiratory and cardiovascular problems, such as asthma attacks, heart attacks, and lung cancer. Fine particle pollution cuts short the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year, according to EPA.

The new report, called Plagued by Pollution, is based on a survey of the environmental agencies in all 50 states and DC. The report looks at all of the instances in 2004 when pollution levels exceeded EPA’s two health-based air quality standards for fine particle pollution. EPA’s “annual” standard is based on how much fine particle pollution is safe to breathe on an everyday basis, while EPA’s “24-hour” standard is based on how much fine particle pollution is safe to breathe on any given day. Both types of exposures are associated with illness and death.

Key findings include the following:
• Cincinnati ranks 2nd statewide and 11th nationwide for the worst chronic fine particle pollution among large metro areas in 2004. Fine particle pollution was high year-round in Cincinnati and exceeded EPA’s standard for what is safe to breathe over the long-term (the annual standard).
• Ohio ranks 5th nationwide for chronic soot pollution.
• Neither Cincinnati nor Ohio exceeded the “24-hour” health standard for fine particle pollution.

In 2005, the Bush administration’s science advisors and EPA staff scientists concluded that the current health standards for fine particle pollution are too weak to fully protect the public. They recommended that the administration make the standards more protective, which would require power plants and other polluters to clean up. The Bush administration rejected these recommendations and instead proposed a very minor change to the health standards. It is unprecedented for an administration to disregard the recommendations of the independent Clean Air Science Advisory Committee.

“The American Lung Association strongly believes that the Bush administration should listen to its advisors and strengthen fine particle pollution standards. Current standards do not do enough to protect the public from the serious health dangers associated with this form of pollution,” stated Joel Kaplan, Executive Director, American Lung Association, SW Ohio.

EPA’s own risk assessment shows that the current annual fine particle standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) and 24-hour standard of 65 µg/m3 protect only 56 million people. The administration’s proposal would maintain the annual standard at 15 µg/m3 and only slightly lower the daily standard to 35 µg/m3.

Ohio PIRG is a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest advocacy organization.