The broad and serious impact of air pollution in the United States

If you are living in the Eastern United States, your surroundings are being ruined by air pollution. A new report from the Cary Institute of Ecological and Natural Protection Research found that air pollution is reducing the value of all major ecosystems in the Northeast and Central Atlantic United States, from Adirondack forests and Shenandoah streams to Appalachian swamp and Chesapeake glory.

The report, "The risk from the sky: Air pollution affects ecosystems and biological diversity in the Eastern United States" , is the first large-scale analysis of the effects of four types of substances. polluting many types of habitats. Most recent studies focus on only one contaminant. More than 32 experts have contributed to this effort; However, the predictions about the situation are not positive. Dr. Gary M. Lovett, an ecologist at the Cary Institute and principal author of the report, commented: 'Anywhere we find evidence of harmful air pollution. to natural resources. Decisive actions need to be taken if we really want to preserve functional ecosystems for future generations. '

Pollutants destroy areas away from their origins

Contaminants - sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, and ground ozone - mostly derived from chimneys, exhaust pipes, and agricultural activities . Although these contaminants originally existed in the air, they eventually returned to the ground to contaminate soil and water.

Air emissions can travel a long distance before returning to the ground. Because the Eastern United States is in the direction of wind from large industrial zones and urban pollution sources, it must suffer the highest concentration of air pollution in North America. This is bad news for vulnerable wildlife, forest production, soil quality, water resources, and especially economics. The co-author Dr. Timothy H. Tear, of the Natural Protection Agency, commented: 'The settling of pollutants has a significant impact on people. Mercury pollution makes fish an unsafe food. Acidification causes fish to die and squeeze soil nutrients. Excess nitrogen levels contaminate estuaries, causing damage to near-shore fisheries. And ground ozone reduces the growth of plants, is a risk to forestry and agriculture. '

Pollution from the Potomac River flows into Chesapeake Bay.Contaminants - sulfur, nitrogen, mercury, and ground ozone - are mostly derived from chimneys, exhaust pipes (engines), and agricultural activities.Although these contaminants originally existed in the air, they eventually returned to the ground to contaminate soil and water.(Photo: Michele Hogan).

Air quality standards are critical in protecting natural resources

The report calls for practical actions. Currently, air quality standards in the United States are determined by direct impact on human health, with regulations aimed at the level of emissivity of pollutants - these regulations leave exhaust pipes. (of engine) and chimney. They are not interested in where air pollutants settle to the ground or how they cancel out soil and water resources as well as plants and animals.

Lovett emphasized: 'To protect the ecosystem, we need to innovate our thinking about air pollution - that is, not just at determining what is dispersed in the air, but to understand the real impact. to the natural areas, wildlife '.

The authors urged US policy planners to establish air quality standards based on important norms. It is the maximum concentration of air pollutants settling down that the ecosystem can tolerate before harmful consequences occur. Setting these thresholds to regulate pollutants in a way that preserves functional ecosystems. In some areas, such as Rocky Mountain National Park, federal agencies have adopted this method to assess the risk of air pollution. This is also the method used by Europe to control air pollution.

Monitoring is an essential tool

Setting up essential norms will require investments in monitoring programs for affected air and ecosystems. Lovett commented: 'We do not assess the risk of air pollution on the ecosystem if we do not conduct monitoring. Although some quality pollution monitoring programs still exist, the current system is fragmented, lacking capital and having serious gaps'.

There will be certain costs for control efforts. However, lakes without fish at Adirondacks are a wake-up call that air pollution does not distinguish boundaries. Tia concluded: 'If there are no essential norms, there will be false security for land conservation efforts. We can make the best decrees or agreements for natural areas, but if we can't really 'protect' the land if air pollution continues' .