Atlanta, (August 10, 2016) – In response to today’s release of “Health of the Air,” a new report from the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University, June Deen, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Health Promotions of American Lung Association of the Southeast issued the following statement:
“The new ‘Health of the Air’ report from the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute finds that more must be done to clean up the air that Atlanta families breathe.
“Their analysis found that nationwide, reducing ozone and particle pollution to the levels recommended by the ATS and the Lung Association could save more than 9,000 lives every year.
“Atlanta made the list of top cities with the most to gain from reducing ozone and particle pollution to these levels, coming in at number 22. Atlanta could see 87 more lives saved, 239 fewer harmful health events, such as heart attacks, hospital admissions and emergency visits, and 325,874 fewer ‘adverse impact days,’ such as missed work and school days.
“This new research underscores the importance of our clean air protections, including the updated ozone standard that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized last year. While less protective of health than the level recommended by the Lung Association and the ATS, this standard is a critical step toward cleaning up deadly ozone pollution in Atlanta and across the country.
“The Lung Association of the Southeast remains committed to standing up for the health of all Americans, including the health of our most vulnerable, such as children, older adults and those with serious illness whose health is most threatened by air pollution. While our states have made progress, too many Americans still fall ill and die prematurely because the air they breathe has too much pollution. We can and must do better to protect the health of all Americans.”
