Junfeng (Jim) Zhang, PhDJunfeng (Jim) Zhang, PhDProfessor of Environmental and Occupational Professor of Environmental and Occupational

Health Health UMDNJ- School of Public HealthUMDNJ- School of Public Health

Presented at Presented at NJ Clean Air Council NJ Clean Air Council

April 14, 2010 Public HearingApril 14, 2010 Public Hearing

Daytime in London, December 19521952

Source: National Archives

Particle levels – 3,000 g/m3Particle levels – 3,000 g/m3

2.0 -

1.5 -

1.0 -

0.5 -

Sm

oke

an

d s

ulp

hu

r d

ioxi

de,

mg

/m3

November December15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20

- 1000- 900- 800- 700- 600- 500- 400- 300- 200- 100

Dea

ths

per

die

m

Greater London, 1952Greater London, 1952

SmokeSulphur dioxideDeaths

mg/m3 not ug/m3

U. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh in 2009Pittsburgh in 2009

NYC NYC ““ThanksgivingThanksgiving”” Smog Smog EpisodeEpisode

Coal Burning Banned in NYC

EPA formed by Nixon

SO2 Concentrations in NYC

Major improvement since the 1960’s

1975 – post CAA

Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations in New Jerseyin New Jersey

1975-20061975-2006Second Highest Daily AverageSecond Highest Daily Average

Smoke Shade as and indicator of Particulate Matter – 10X Reduction

CAA

Figure 11Figure 11Long Term Trend in Particulate LevelsLong Term Trend in Particulate Levels

State AverageState Average1967-20061967-2006

Middle of proposed revision

• NJ has substantially improved Air Quality and reduced unhealthy levels of Air Pollution Criteria Pollutants

Reductions to meet the original standards Reductions to meet mandates of Revised

Standards Reasons

Sound implementation Plans Regional and Local strategies

VerdictVerdict

Contact with pollutant (Exposure)

Dose

Poison (Health Effects)

Historically – Just about anywhere Outdoors – very high pollution levels – An important

consideration since:• Houses were not well insulated – High AER led to high

indoor levels from outdoor air• No Air Conditioning increased Outdoor Air Pollution

indoors and increased exposure to outdoor air pollution• More Urban living in NJ• Less Travel

Contact with Air PollutionContact with Air Pollution

Currently Outdoors is still dominant for some pollutants but

at much lower levels Indoors -- especially for VOCs and SVOCs, the

levels will be higher than measured outdoors Transportation

More suburban living More in-transit time

Contact with Air PollutionContact with Air Pollution

Challenging Issues Healthy Communities and Environmental

Justice Identifying problems , e.g . invisible sources

under “blue sky” “Smoking gun”– “new pollutants” Air toxics: little actions on them Pollution hot spots

Within a community Living near roads

Contact with Air PollutionContact with Air Pollution

Future Types of Sources Outdoors – for the foreseeable

future most will be the same Energy sources may change if the country finally gets

focused on energy independenceEnergy conservation and efficiencyRenewable energy and nuclear power Fuel-efficient vehiclesElectric cars – Not environmentally neutral – may

shift the pollution sources Science, technology, public awareness, and policy

Contact with Air PollutionContact with Air Pollution