Clean Air in Atlanta

Clean Air for Olympics '96

SELC has worked hard over the past several years to help highlight the air pollution-health risk link in Atlanta. Today, virtually all Atlantans are familiar with the effects of ozone on respiratory health, and the role that vehicle traffic plays in ozone production.

During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the city brought in 1,000 extra buses for park-and-ride use. Public transit and telecommuting were encouraged. The result: lighter traffic and a 28% reduction in ozone levels. Not surprisingly, the daily average of asthma emergencies and hospitalizations for children dropped 42% compared to the four weeks before and after the Games. Unfortunately, when the visitors left Atlanta, so did the cleaner air.

These stunning statistics are documented in a study published in the renowned Journal of the American Medical Association.

See "Asthma and the Olympics" (pdf) for the complete article.

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