American Lung Association Applauds New Sulfur Dioxide Health Standard 

‘Standard offers the promise of real protection’

Washington, D.C. (June 3, 2010) The American Lung Association applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard for sulfur dioxide, the first strengthening of the limits on this dangerous air pollutant in nearly four decades.  For the first time, this standard will help curtail the bursts of this noxious gas that spew into communities living next to some of our nation’s oldest, dirtiest polluters, including coal-fired power plants. This standard offers the promise of real protection to the people who have breathed these fumes for far too long.

Sulfur dioxide threatens our health in many ways.  Sulfur dioxide tightens the airways, making it harder for people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung diseases to breathe. It worsens coughing and wheezing and increases asthma attacks. Breathing sulfur dioxide sends people with lung diseases to the emergency department or the hospital for breathing problems.   Sulfur dioxide  gas changes into deadly particles in the atmosphere and is linked to thousands of premature deaths. EPA estimates that this tighter standard will save 2,300 to 5,900 early deaths each year,

The national air quality standard sets the official limits on how much of this pollutant can be in the air.  The standards drive the cleanup of the sources of these pollutants in communities across the country. In this case, the standard will help protect some of the communities located closest to coal-fired power plants, industrial boilers, petroleum refineries, metal processing plants and diesel exhaust.

With today’s action, EPA has wisely chosen to use an array of tools to identify the communities with dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide.  Communities will have to not only place new monitors, but do computer modeling to identify where problems may exist.  Modeling here is an appropriate and welcome supplement to monitoring and can help ensure that we can better protect the people living nearest to these big polluters.

We also appreciate EPA’s decision to make sure that every community is “classified.”  In the past, communities without adequate monitoring information could avoid having to clean up because they fit in the “unclassified” category. For the first time, EPA is requiring that these communities use the modeling and monitoring data to show that they are either meeting or failing to meet the standard.  This change is a subtle, but fundamental strengthening of the protections for people living in the communities, because it means the problems they face must be recognized and addressed.

(November 17, 2009)–Statement of Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new limits on the toxic air pollutant sulfur dioxide in the outdoor air.  This health standard has not been revised since 1971.  The American Lung Association welcomes this long overdue action and urges EPA to set a standard at a level that truly protects public health.  Inhaling sulfur dioxide (SO2) makes it hard for people with asthma to breathe. High levels of SO2 force people to the emergency room and to hospitals because they have trouble breathing.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson proposed a new national air quality standard to limit one-hour levels of sulfur dioxide gas, which would offer more protection from short spikes in SO2 than the current annual or 24-hour standards provide.  This standard targets the repeated spikes of this dangerous gas that threaten the health of millions. We at the American Lung Association applaud her recommendation. If EPA adopts a standard that protects the health of the public, communities with the highest SO2 levels will have to clean up their pollution.  The American Lung Association recommends EPA adopt the most protective level, 50 parts per billion, under consideration.
The American Lung Association had taken legal steps in the past to push EPA to protect against these spikes in sulfur dioxide pollution, so we are pleased that EPA has now begun to do so.  Sources, such as coal-fired power plants, industrial facilities, and ports, which pollute the air in the communities where they operate need to be cleaned up.  Cleaner, healthier air will benefit the lives and health of millions of people.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a gas composed of sulfur and oxygen. Spikes in SO2 occur all too frequently, particularly in areas near coal-fired power plants. SO2 forms when sulfur-containing fuel such as coal, oil, or diesel is burned.  Sulfur dioxide also converts in the atmosphere to sulfates, a prime component of fine particle pollution in the eastern U.S.
We urge EPA to adopt a tighter one-hour standard, and to retain its existing annual standard as well.

On Monday November 16, 2009, EPA will issue a proposed rule to revise the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide. For the first time, EPA will propose short-term limits on sulfur dioxide concentrations to protect the health of children with asthma.
Below, we have posted a fact sheet prepared by the American Lung Association that provides background on the health effects of sulfur dioxide and the issues at stake:
SO2 NAAQS Backgrounder

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final science assessment for sulfur dioxide (SO2) which suggests that a short-term standard will be needed to protect public health. (more…)

The current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide were set in 1971 based on a Criteria Document published in 1969 by the Department of Health Education and Welfare. The scientific articles considered in the original Criteria Document predate 1968. In 1971, the newly established EPA set the first primary sulfur dioxide NAAQS: an annual average standard of 0.03 ppm (80 µg/m3); and a 24-hour standard of 0.14 ppm (365 µg/m3). The current standards are based on 40 plus year old science. (more…)