Published: May 14, 2008 10:52 pm      

TONAWANDAS: The air out there

You can’t see the pollution.

But you can feel it, especially in your lungs.

The American Lung Association released its annual State of the Air report last week, giving out grades to counties across the country based on the presence of particles (soot) and ozone (smog) in the air.

“Conventional thinking in New York state is that air pollution is only a downstate problem,” said Michael Seilback, ALA senior director of public policy and advocacy. “But it’s all over. Millions of New Yorkers have to breathe unhealthy air.”

Grades in Niagara County were up slightly from last year’s study. The grades were based on data collected from 2004 to 2006.

In the 2007 report, which covered data collected from 2003 to 2005, Niagara County received an F in ozone pollution and a D in particle pollution. In the latest report both of those grades are D’s, meriting a passing grade.

Particle and ozone pollution can cause a number of health problems, especially among young children and elderly adults, according to the ALA. Ozone can cause asthma attacks, coughing and chest pain. Particulates can cause asthma, heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer.

Dr. Edward Ventresca sees the problems of ozone pollution at his job, especially during the summer. Ozone is formed when sunlight reacts with vapors emitted from vehicles and industrial sources.

“I can honestly say there’s a correlation, especially in hot summer days when ozone levels are high,” said Ventresca, director of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

For the elderly with health problems, many are recommended to stay indoors during those hot days, Ventresca said. Niagara County had four days from 2004 to 2006 when ozone levels were dangerously high, compared to eight days in Erie County, according to ALA statistics.

The source of particle and ozone pollution are widespread, from personal wood stoves to large industrial boilers to the diesel engines that power trucks.

“A lot of it is related to which way the wind blows, so we could be talking the sources are hundreds of miles away,” said Larry Sitzman, regional air pollution control engineer for the state Department of Environmental Conservation. “Most of the (more polluted) areas are urban areas just because of the amount of local industry and especially traffic.”

The DEC has a number of monitoring stations around Western New York where it gathers data on air quality.

Efforts are under way to combat the soot and smog in the air. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has recently passed laws aimed at cleaner diesel fuel and more efficient engines for trucks. The federal CAIR program controls sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions from power plants.

The high price of gasoline might have a positive effect, said Bruce Boissonnault, president and CEO of the Niagara Health Quality Coalition.

“This is going to have to happen on a personal level, on a corporate level and on a government level,” Boissonnault said. “While (high gas prices) are painful, it at least has a silver lining in that it’s already starting to drive conservation.”

Contact reporter Dan Minerat 282-2311, ext. 2263.