REGION: Science panel says smog kills

More study urged to gauge threat to healthy people

By DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Tuesday, April 22, 2008 5:16 PM PDT ∞

The debate is over: Smog kills people. A national panel of scientists, economists and medical experts so concluded in a report released Tuesday.

After reviewing a body of research on the effects of ozone, a key element in Southern California's smoggy skies, the panel determined in a National Research Council report that it is clear some people with heart and lung diseases die prematurely after going outside on a bad air day.

And the report noted that one recent study suggests repeated exposure to elevated ozone levels over many years shortens the lives of healthy people, too.

The panel urged follow-up studies to confirm that smog shortens life expectancy for a broader cross-section of society.

The report was issued as the nation marked Earth Day, and San Diego and Riverside counties braced for another smog season.

Typically associated with hot, stagnant weather, the season of poor air quality runs May to October.

An invisible but poisonous gas, ozone tends to reach elevated levels on hot days when chemicals belched by cars and factories blow inland and cook in the sun to form a toxic brew.

Ross Porter, a spokesman for the American Lung Association of California in San Diego, called the study potentially groundbreaking.

"It appears to be a milestone in understanding the impact that ozone has on populations," Porter said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "And it isn't as if ozone just kills people (with serious illnesses) a little bit earlier. They're saying ozone is having an impact across a wide range of people."

The council's research was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and conducted by a 13-member panel of experts for the National Research Council. The council is part of the National Academies, a collection of national nonprofit institutions that provide scientific, technical and medical advice to federal agencies.

The report's message to the agency is that there is no reason to doubt that ozone causes premature death. And the panel said that should be taken into account when the agency quantifies clean-air benefits.

The White House Office of Management and Budget, which in its review of air quality regulations has raised questions about the certainty of the pollution and mortality link, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The report says government agencies "should give little or no weight" to such arguments.

"The report is a rebuke of the Bush administration, which has consistently tried to downplay the connection between smog and premature death," said Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, a Washington-based advocacy organization.

Porter, of the California advocacy group, said the "little or no weight" comment "is a solid statement that ozone kills."

"This is an 'aha!' moment," Porter said. "We're seeing scientific recognition of the impact that ozone continues to have. And so it should make us stronger in our resolve to set health protective standards for ozone exposure."

Earlier this year, the EPA set a new threshold of 75 parts ozone per billion parts air for declaring skies dirty after holding the nation's urban areas to 84 parts per billion for the last decade. The American Lung Association thought the new standard should have been set at 70 parts per billion.

The national panel said it was unable to determine whether there is a point at which there is no risk of premature death, but added if there is such a threshold, it is below the new standard.

Anita Tinsley, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, said her agency would not comment on the report because "we don't have any health professionals on staff."

Ozone levels have declined throughout Southern California in recent decades. Tough state and regional regulations have spurred automakers to make cleaner cars and factories to clean up their acts.

Indeed, until recently, San Diego County was on track to receive a clean bill of health from the EPA in a year or two. Now that could take another decade.

Western Riverside County, as part of the huge South Coast air basin that takes in Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, is decades away from meeting the federal standard.

However, that doesn't mean everyone in the two counties is breathing bad air.

San Diego County's failing smog grade is the result of high ozone levels at a single monitoring station ---- at Alpine. Ozone levels in North County tend to stay below federal limits.

While limits are exceeded on occasion in Southwest Riverside County, Temecula and Murrieta residents breathe cleaner air than people in the Riverside area and eastern Los Angeles County.

Porter warned that while the long-term trend is downward, it could reverse in response to global warming. Noting that elevated ozone levels tend to occur on hot days, he said more hot weather could trigger more bad air days.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 745-6611, Ext. 2623, or ddowney@nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Matt wrote on Apr 22, 2008 3:47 PM:This is why even if you don't think global warming is real you should support cleaning up auto/industrial emissions. Except you didn't need this panel to tell you that.

Really wrote on Apr 22, 2008 6:16 PM:Duh.....

Lisa wrote on Apr 22, 2008 7:16 PM:I had NO idea that smog kills, thanks for the on-the-minute breaking news.

Nick wrote on Apr 22, 2008 7:57 PM:I love it. This just solidifies what I have been saying for years. All those vehemently anti-smoking folks who sit in gridlock every day for work are all a bunch of HYPOCRITES! They are always ranting and raving about "Their" right to breathe clean air, and then go and fire up their cars to sit in traffic.......LMAO!
They like to bash smokers and rant about their health and it's really just the fact that they hate smokers.
Sitting in traffic is far worse for you than a whiff of second-hand smoke. If you really cared about peoples health, you wouldn't drive now would you?

Get Ready wrote on Apr 22, 2008 11:32 PM:Wonder how much money was spent on this study - somehow taxpayers are going to be stuck with this clean up too so thanks for telling us something we already knew!

Stay Home wrote on Apr 22, 2008 11:38 PM:I think I better stay home inside tomorrow instead of driving to work and going outside don't want to get lung problems or die prematurely from smog poisoning. Wonder what law firm will start filing lawsuits for this!

To Nick wrote on Apr 23, 2008 4:24 AM:smoke em if ya got em. I work 4 miles from home and I'm glad I quit the cigarettes. Bottom line, smog is not good for you just like smoking.

Paul wrote on Apr 23, 2008 4:43 AM:It is called population control. If there are fewer people the resources can be used more effectively.

Hey wrote on Apr 23, 2008 4:51 AM:Sacramento, wake up! We need legislation to mandate that people are housed near to their place of employment. This sprawling development must be stopped.

Boy these guys are wrote on Apr 23, 2008 6:26 AM:smarter than dirt! Less and less people are either choicing to quit smoking or have died of smoking, yet the cancer rate continues to soar. Wait! I know it must be the bird flu! What a bunch of loonies.

Drive wrote on Apr 23, 2008 6:38 AM:It is time for all of us to realize that the reduction in highway speed from 70 MPH to 55 MPH will reduce those pollutants that help to cause smog. Google the Drive 55 information and do a little research. We would also get away from our dependence on foreign oil - that would not happen immediately, but the savings in fuel would reduce the net cost of gasoline and diesel from $4.00 per gallon (with no end in sight) to $3.00. You would still be paying the $4.00, but you would be driving up to 30 % farther. Drive 55. Send a message and save our health.

Randy wrote on Apr 23, 2008 7:54 AM:It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that smog kills people!

Nick wrote on Apr 23, 2008 8:07 AM:Right on "To Nick", you and I actually found something we agree on.
Cheers, Nick.

Nick wrote on Apr 23, 2008 8:08 AM:Drive 55........lololololololololol.
Sorry, can't stop laughing.

Ted wrote on Apr 23, 2008 8:49 AM:There are people who still sell ozone producing "air sterlizers" for indoor use. These should now be banned. If you own something that uses ozone to clean your indoor air. Throw it away! If you own a air filter for your home make sure it is HEPA and does not claim to ionize the particles. Ionizers produce O3, ozone, smog, you are killing your family if you use this.

Carter wrote on Apr 23, 2008 11:02 AM: I have read for years that smog is harmful to our health and have studied the issue quite a bit.
There are a lot of things we, as individuals can do: 1) Drive according to the speed limit. Current autos operate more efficiently at around 60 miles mph. But, today's auto engines are designed to run faster and hotter and in doing so they Emmit more smog. There are actually five places on an auto where smog is emitted, and the faster you are traveling the more is being spewed into the air. If you are driving in the fast lane you are killing more people, according to the above report, and others I have read in the past week. 2) If the CHP would do their job and ticket high speeders, as the law mandates, it would be a great help. 3) SANDAGS' plan to put in an 80 mph speed limit HOV between, on I-15, and cities north of Escondido and connecting with the new HOV from the south, and meeting at the intersection of highway 78 in Escondido, the plan for 80 mph should be abandoned. It stands to reason that the speed limit on the southern stretch of the HOV would be increased to 80 miles an hour also. Eighty mile an hour speed limits for gasoline operated cars is a killer, and SANDAG, along with other agencies throughout the country, are opening themselves up for a lot of court time after today's report that smog kills people, even healthy people. Our future is opening up before our eyes and above 60 mph speed limits will not be a part of it. We might as will start now.

Tomorrows Headline wrote on Apr 23, 2008 2:28 PM:"Water Kills. A scientific panel has found that some of those that go in the water die prematurely from the affects that very water. Further study is required to discuss ways to clean up this dangerous substance"

Sorry folks, but this is just over-reaction. Not saying it is wrong; commons sense tells us that breathing anything but pure air is probably not as healthy as breathing impure air. But just how many people drop dead from smog a year? Notice it doesn't say. Shorten how many lives? And by how many years? Again, just sensationalized general statements made in an attempt to make people "outraged". And after seeing the posts already, sound like they are being quite succesful about creating a buzz about their special interest. Next step: Ask for lots of money to conduct more studies and save us all from this terrible plight. Why? Cuz that's how these folks "roll".

Reardon wrote on Apr 23, 2008 3:13 PM:Life kills! We all die, but we are dying later and later in life, so despite all of the things that kill us, we live longer. We have ckean air -- now we must wonder how clean is clean? Alar. Saccerine, Y2K, Love Canal, Africanized bees, Global Warming, Global Cooling, Ozone depletion, population bomb, electromagnetic emissions, bird flu ,heterosexual HIV...the sky is always falling but just never quite falls

Carter wrote on Apr 23, 2008 4:36 PM: The idea that high auto speeds are the thing of the future is not very bright. Just think of the things that are impacting that idea. Soon we will all be driving autos that are powered by DC electricity and we will, within the next 15 years be getting all of our energy from solar. Everybody will be looking for cars that can get more mileage per charge without having to recharge at the other end which will be very costly compared to charging at home. Just think about the cost of recharging at a station where you park at work. Soon we will have to adjust our lives to fit what is available as far as energy is concerned. Within twenty years gasoline powered autos will not be allowed on the streets. In fact gasoline engines will not be allowed anywhere - lawnmowers and such. Black and Decker just came out with a rechargeable lawnmower. My trimmer is rechargeable. My hand drill is rechargeable, and my screwdriver, and so on. I saw a report that today's solar panels will not get the job done; however, it was reported that within five years solar panels will be manufactured that will power our entire house, not just lighting, TV and such. So wise up and start doing your fellowman some good by using your head and driving safely while cutting down on the smog. Believe me, if you don't do it now, we will get you sooner or later. Stop making the freeways your playground.

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