Transcript Improving Life, One Breath at a Time 800-LUNGUSA www.alanys.org www.lungusa.org Bad Air: impacts and solutions Michael Seilback Director of Public Policy American Lung Association of New York.

Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
800-LUNGUSA
www.alanys.org
www.lungusa.org
Bad Air:
impacts and solutions
Michael Seilback
Director of Public Policy
American Lung Association of New York State
March 29, 2006
www.lungusa.org
Health Effects of
Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Shortness of breath and wheezing
• Asthma attacks
• Emergency room visits and hospitalizations
• Long-term lung and cardiovascular disease
• Lung Cancer
• Premature death in seniors and infants
www.lungusa.org
www.lungusa.org
Health Effects of
Bad Air (Ozone and PM)
• Shortness of breath and wheezing
• Asthma attacks
• Emergency room visits and hospitalizations
• Long-term lung and cardiovascular disease
• Lung Cancer
• Premature death in seniors and infants
www.lungusa.org
www.lungusa.org
“Pyramid of Effects”
Death
Hospital
Admissions
Doctor visits
Asthma attacks, medication use,
symptoms
lung function changes, immune cell responses,
heart rate or heart rate variability responses
www.lungusa.org
State of the Air
• Westchester fails
the ALA clean air
test for ozone and
gets a ‘C’ for PM
• Westchester is out
of attainment for
both ozone and
PM (EPA)
www.lungusa.org
Ozone in Westchester
Summers of 1996-2005
# of days O3 exceeds
current health
standard
Ozone Exceedances at White Plains monitor
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
years
www.lungusa.org
Who is at risk?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Westchester County
Children—229,000
Children with Asthma—14,500
Adults with Asthma—54,300
Adults with other lung disease—40,500
Heart Patients—248,700
Diabetes—49,800
Seniors—130,000
www.lungusa.org
Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the
leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote
lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other
leading causes of death have declined.
The American Lung Association of New York State funds vital research
on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous
support of the public, the American Lung Association is “Improving life,
one breath at a time.”
For more information about the American Lung Association of New York
State or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800586-4872) or log on to www.alanys.org.
www.lungusa.org