EPA finalizes change to national fine particulate pollution standards

Key takeaways:

• The annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate pollution has been reduced to 9 µg/m³ from 12 µg/m³.
• The EPA did not change the current 24-hour PM_2.5 standard despite recommendations.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a change to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate pollution from 12 µg/m³ to 9 µg/m³, according to a press release from the agency.

“While we certainly advocated for the most protective standards under consideration for both the annual and daily standards, the new, stronger particle pollution standards will save lives,” Paul Billings, BA, national senior vice present of public policy at the American Lung Association, said during a roundtable discussion on the EPA’s announcement. “They are a step forward for public health.”

As Healio previously reported, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a change to the annual fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) standard back in January 2023 based on recent health data and scientific evidence.

According to the EPA, several benefits are expected with the new standard change. The change will:

• prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths;
• prevent 290,000 lost workdays; and
• result in as much as $46 billion in net health benefits in 2032.

The EPA stated in the release that the standard change was based on four different components: scientific evidence, technical information, Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee recommendations and public comments.

Implications

This new standard means greater protection from PM pollution (soot) for all individuals, as this type of pollution affects some 63 million Americans, Milagros Elia, MA, APRN, ANP-BC, of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, said during the roundtable.

Importantly, Elia said the risk of being impacted by pollution is heightened among children, seniors, patients with lung/heart diseases, individuals working outdoors, individuals living in low-income communities and people of color, indicating that this new standard will particularly benefit these individuals.

“With this final standard, President Biden and [EPA] Administrator Regan have made progress towards important environmental justice and public health goals with protections that will hopefully clean up our air and save thousands of lives, especially in communities already overburdened with pollution,” Elia said.

Exposure to high levels of pollution can cause/worsen various diseases and adverse events, such as asthma, heart attacks and strokes, Erika M. Moseson, MD, pulmonary and critical care physician with Legacy Health in Oregon and host of the Air Health Our Health podcast, said during the roundtable.

In addition to health, pollution can place a financial burden on both individuals and businesses.

“The toll of productivity losses from when people are sick and can’t work and can’t engage in the economy are real,” Moseson said. “There’s a reason that the Clean Air Act is one of the best economic stimulus packages we’ve ever passed.”

“Since 1970, we’ve seen a 304% increase in the gross domestic product and a 78% decrease in criteria pollution emissions,” Billings said. “These data show and confirm that economic growth and air pollution decreases go hand in hand. Cleaner air makes people healthier and more productive.”

Additional announcements

In its announcement, the EPA also stated that the threshold levels of the air quality index have changed based on the new standard.

During the roundtable, Billings said several breakpoints between air quality levels were lowered: The breakpoint between unhealthy to very healthy air quality dropped from 150 µg/m³ to 125 µg/m³, the breakpoint between very unhealthy to hazardous air quality dropped from 250 µg/m³ to 225 µg/m³ and the highest level of hazardous dropped from 500 µg/m³ to 325 µg/m³.

“These are important changes, and I think indicates that EPA is looking at the health impacts at these very high levels of PM for increasing the level of warning, which is important when communities experience things like wildfires,” Billings said.

Notably, the EPA did not change the current 24-hour PM_2.5 standard of 35 µg/m³, the 24-hour PM₁₀ standard or the secondary standards for either type of PM, which are welfare-based.

In a release, American Lung Association president and CEO Harold Wimmer, BS, MS, said, “it is disappointing that EPA did not follow the strong science-based recommendations of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the health community to also revise the 24-hour standard to more fully protect public health.”

According to the EPA, the finalized standard is projected to be met in 99% of U.S. counties by 2032.

When asked about when the EPA’s final ruling will be published in the federal register, Billings said he expects it to happen within the next couple of weeks.

As a final note, Don Hoppert, BA, director of government relations at the American Public Health Association, said there are also rules tackling pollution from cars, heavy duty trucks and power plants pending within the EPA.

“EPA has got a big to-do list,” Billings said. “Today checked a big check off the box, but we won’t be satisfied at the Lung Association and the public shouldn’t be satisfied till all these rules get done, and they need to get done really over the next few weeks.”

References:

• ATS applauds EPA protective standard on particulate matter pollution. https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/ats-applauds-epa-protective-standard-on-particulate-matter-pollution.php. Published Feb. 7, 2024. Accessed Feb. 7, 2024.
• February 2024 roundtable on updating NAAQS for fine particulate matter. Presented Feb. 7, 2024. Accessed Feb. 7, 2024.
• In finalizing particle pollution standards, EPA makes progress for public health. https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/final-naaqs. Published Feb. 7, 2024. Accessed Feb. 7, 2024.