Hamilton County Air Quality

2006 - 2007

What is the National Ambient Air Quality Standard

(NAAQS)

NAAQS is a program of the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)

What Does the NAAQS Program Do?

Test and sets criteria “pollutant’ attainment standards for all communities across the United States.

Makes regulations for communities and businesses who are not compliant with attainment

There Are Six Primary Criteria “Pollutants” for NAAQS

Three of These Criminal Pollutants Have a Primary Focus

Carbon MonoxideCarbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas.

Nitrogen OxideThe two most prevalent oxides of nitrogen are nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and

nitric oxide (NO). Both are toxic gases with NO2 being a highly reactive oxidant and corrosive. 

Particulate Mattera complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets.

Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles.

In Smallest Form Some Criminal Pollutants:

Are Invisible to the Eye

Create Acid in the Atmosphere

Can Harm Children and Older Adults

Can Harm People with Respiratory Disease

Air Pollutants Are Measured By Monitoring the Concentration in the Air

Currently Hamilton County is in Non-Attainment With Ozone and Particulate Matter 2.5 Monitoring

Another Compound Not Associated with Ozone are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Likewise: Fossil Fuels, Construction, and Factories For Particulate Matter.

Comparison of US/EPA Attainment Compliance in Hamilton County between 2006-07

Brad Miller: Permits & Enforcement Section Supervisor Air Quality Management DivisionHamilton County Environmental Services

“We don’t have a problem with the nitrogen oxide standard,” said Brad Miller, 45, who handles the permits and enforcement for HAMCO and the surrounding four counties. “What we do have is a lot of the VOC that reacts with nitrogen and forms the ozone.”

New Standards for NAAQS

Both Ozone and PM 2.5 Were Strengthened as National Requirements for Monitoring in 2006

Each Are Different Types of Criminal Air Pollutants

VOCs Are Monitored but Lack Any Regulations for Release into the Air

Brad Miller Shares His Insight on Ozone and Particulates

“Ozone is not like a particulate that gets into the lungs and lodges,” said Miller. “Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns, they are finding can cause breathing issues, but ozone is more of an issue.”

Air Quality Index Studies from 2006-07 do not Reflect the Overall Quality Before the New NAAQS Monitoring, but Recent 2004-06 Court Cases Highlight the Need for More Monitoring

On January 12, 2009, Michael Scott of the Cleveland Plain Dealer Reported

“A U.S. EPA proposal this month could force Ohio cities like Cincinnati and Columbus to meet the same air pollution standards and deadlines as Cleveland and Akron, which are already facing more stringent clean air standards ”

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/01/us_epa_plan_forces_cincinnati_1.html

Brad Miller’s said the “The Smokestack Effect” story by USA TODAY

“tried to use some of that Toxic Release Inventory data (TRI), air emissions data, and air toxics data and put it into a model to determine what the impacts were,” said

Miller. “It was identifying facilities 50 miles away impacting a school. I think it highlights where we may need more monitoring.”

More Monitors target in Places Where the Non-Attainment Issues Exist

What Drives Criminal Ground-Level Ozone?

“You have a large amount of coal fired utilities in the Midwest. In cities in the North East it’s the mobile sources cars, trucks, and utilities; and that comes from the combustion of fossil fuels: coal, petroleum, or gas. Miller said.

Health Issues of Criminal Pollutants

“Anything where there’s a lot of smoke: car engines, diesel engines, smog, airliners, factories.” said Christopher B. Schmitt M.D., 32. He is an Asthma Specialist with 16 years of experience currently working with the Tri-State Pulmonary Associates, Inc. and Christ Hospital.

Ozone is a Mixture of Gas and Chemical and petroleum based products

Good ozone exists miles above the Earth and protects the planet from ultraviolet radiation.

Bad ground-level ozone is a problem on hot sunny days when the VOCs or chemical hydrocarbons interact with nitrogen oxides.

Nitrogen Dioxide NO2 & NOx:

is a reactive brown gas can irritate the lungs, cause bronchitis and pneumonia, and

lower resistance to respiratory infections. is key for the production of ozone (O3) and acid rain, and may

affect both all of Earth’s environment. the breakdown of nitrogen dioxide form another air pollutant,

nitric oxide. VOCs together with the nitrogen oxide NOx in the atmosphere

blend and that produce ozone. Combustion of fuels at high temperatures can also create NOx.

main sources of NOx are: vehicles engines, electric utilities, and industrial boilers.

VOCs Come From Multiple Sources Like

paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

USA Today Continued…

“the only way to tell is to get out there and monitor the concentration. All the pollutants go down over time, especially the one’s we were not in attainment with. Some of this stuff can’t be done overnight. It may take six years before you see any impact on air quality ,” said Miller. “So you look at toxics and you try and determine the risk where there may be issues, since there are no specific emissions locations. The concentration in the air is what’s really critical.”

What can be done?

“Cut down emissions, switching from cars that go on oil to electric. Anything that would improve air quality, nuclear versus coal and oil,” stated Schmitt

8-hour Ozone Concentrations, Not to Exceed .08 ppb in 8 Hours for Attainment 2005-07

Current Standard: 0.08 parts per million (max. 8-hour average based on highest three-year average of the fourth highest 8-hour concentration)

Former Standard: 0.12 parts per million (max. one-hour avg. not to be exceeded more than three times over the three most recent years)

Source: Formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide react in sunlight. Effects: Main component of smog. Irritates mucous membranes, causing

coughing, choking and impaired lung function. Aggravates asthma and bronchial conditions.

What is in Particulate Matter?

A mix of water droplets, organic chemicals, metals, very fine dust or soil, and acids (nitric and sulfuric).

Because of their extremely small size of the particles inhaled into the lungs, they can enter the bloodstream, and there affect the soft tissues, heart, and lungs. The toxic build up of particle accumulation in the lungs worries the USEPA.

Particulate matter is a commingling of the tiniest particles that are sized at 10 and 2.5 microns.

The Size of Particulate Matter 2.5 is Smaller Than One Quarter of One Micron Diameter or About 1/40th the Size of a Human Hair at 70 Microns in Diameter.

PM 2.5 Concentrations

Standard: 15 micrograms per cubic meter (max. annual arithmetic mean)

Standard: 35 micrograms per cubic meter (24-hour average)

Source[s]: Industrial processes, heating boilers, engines, dust

Effects: Can clog lung sacs. May pass into bloodstream. Often carry toxic and carcinogenic materials.

PM 2.5 Concentrations 2006-07by Hamilton County Department of EnvironmentalServices

Are there regulations for chemicals in the air?

“There are no standards for air toxics,” said Miller. “There are no air quality standard limits for it.”

Other Pollutants:

Metals show up as trace amounts, but it is important to note that what goes up must come down somewhere else and like ozone affect the ecosystem.

For many of the chemicals released by production and industry, the EPA have set no standard limits.

Some that never disappear are called PBTs (Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics)

Other Pollutants Refrigerants:

The refrigerants trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), Freon 113 and Freon 114 have been discontinued commercially since the 1980s but are still present in the environment.

Chlorodifluoromethane (CFC-22) can still be used until 2020. These compounds pose no health risks other thantheir potential to reduce the stratospheric ozone layer.

Other Pollutants cont.Monitoring by the Hamilton County Department of EnvironmentalServices

Industrial Solvents Key (*) Industrial Solvents (A1) Confirmed Human

Carcinogen (A2) Suspected Human

Carcinogen (A3) Confirmed Animal

Carcinogen, Unknown in Humans

Christine Todd Whitman

According to the New York Times, before Steven Johnson became a controversial figurehead of the EPA was Christine Todd Whitman from 2001-03, “She also found herself in the awkward position of having to renounce and rewrite various rules governing industrial air pollution, rules she had vigorously defended when she was governor of New Jersey.”

State of the Air

Since their implementation, the new regulations and national standards have brought the Air Quality up slightly in Hamilton County. The largest industries with problems followed the EPA’s lead, changed their operations, and were fined or had their permits revoked. The USEPA and HAMCO proposes to continue to increase pollutant standards until it meets a satisfactory balance between the public’s health and safety, the needs of manufacturers, and consumers.

Those Contacted Chose to Be Unavailable For Comment

Duke Energy Miami Fort Plant UC Medicine: Health Professionals The American Lung Association (directed to

website, directed to HAMCO) The National Association of Manufacturers

The End

Thank you for your time!