LOS ANGELES—Today the
California Air Resources Board adopted the strongest standards for ozone, or
urban smog, in the country. Achieving the new standard of 0.07 ppm, averaged
over eight hours, will prevent more than 3.7 million school absences due to
smog-related illness and save hundreds of lives.
“With this new standard,
Californians can breathe a little easier,” stated Sujatha Jahagirdar, Clean
Air Advocate for Environment California.
The new ozone standard adopted
today is the result of a multi-year effort conducted by the Air Resources Board
to adopt an ozone standard that protects children’s health. According to
the state, children are particularly susceptible to the effects of smog because
they spend more time outdoors and breathe at a faster rate than adults.
In addition to adopting
a the new 0.07 ppm eight-hour standard, the California Air Resources Board also
retained its existing one-hour standard for ozone at 0.09 ppm. This shorter
standard protects against spikes in air pollution.
Ozone, or urban smog, can
harm public health in many ways including cardiopulmonary disease and shortness
of breath. Research also links ozone to the onset of asthma and premature death.
California has the worst ozone pollution problem in the country.
“Kids deserve to play
outside without contracting asthma,” concluded Jahagirdar. “California
is once again leading the nation in the push to clean up our air and protect
our kids.”
