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Ozone rule will protect children

By Dr. Edward Ketyer 3 min read

As a pediatrician, I see children on a daily basis suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments. The Environmental Protection Agency’s new ozone rules can help these children breathe easier – but they have to be implemented in a timely and effective manner. Some in Congress and industry seek to stop these rules, leaving children and their families breathing seriously unhealthy air.

High levels of ozone in the air can lead to decreased lung function, coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure to ozone pollution can permanently scar children’s lungs. Children are particularly vulnerable to ozone pollution because they spend more time outdoors than adults, breathe more rapidly and inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight.

For children who already have asthma, the health consequences of ozone exposure are even more dangerous, often requiring trips to the emergency room. On high ozone days, many of these children are forced to stay home, missing school and requiring their parents to miss work.

The American Lung Association’s 2015 State of the Air report ranks the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton metro region 21st for high ozone days out of 220 metropolitan areas studied, and it gives Allegheny County a grade of F for ozone pollution.

The tri-state, 12-county Pittsburgh metro area made the top 25 of all three of the worst air lists for ozone (that’s smog) for year-round particle pollution, and for short-term small particle pollution. It’s one of only seven metro areas to share that dubious distinction.

Implementing the ozone rule will go far to reduce adverse health effects. EPA estimates that by 2025, the ozone rule will result annually in 750 fewer premature deaths, 320,000 fewer asthma attacks among children, 330,000 fewer days of missed school, 65,000 fewer missed work days, 1,400 fewer asthma-related emergency room visits, and 790 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children.

The EPA’s modest lowering of the ozone standard – in my professional opinion, it should have been lowered even further – will make important improvements to our nation’s health. It will also generate significant economic benefits, thanks to reductions in premature deaths, avoidable hospital admissions and other medical expenditures and missed school and workdays. EPA predicts that by 2025, compliance with the new ozone standard will cost the nation (excluding California) $3.9 billion. However, this cost of compliance will result in annual health care savings of between $6.4 and $13 billion. That’s between 1.6 and 3.3 times more savings than costs.

The ozone standard holds out the promise of improving the health of all individuals, especially children. As a pediatrician, I ask that the standard be implemented in a timely manner to protect the millions of children and families at risk from dangerous levels of ozone pollution.

Ketyer has been treating children in the Pittsburgh area since 1990. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

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