Clean Air in Atlanta
Air Pollutants
Soot
Although ozone pollution is a significant threat to Atlantans, an even more deadly pollutant - particulate matter, or particle pollution - also threatens the health of residents. Particle pollution consists of tiny solids and liquid droplets of acids, chemicals, metals and dust. The tiniest, less than 2.5 micro-meters (about 1/20 the width of a human hair), are called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, and can penetrate deeply into the lungs. Particles are either emitted directly into the air from sources such as diesel engines, power plants, construction sites and burning wood and trash, or are formed when gases from fuel combustion such as sulfur dioxide (SO2 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ammonia react with sunlight and water vapor. Unlike ozone, particle pollution is a problem year round. Georgia has 26 counties that have been designated by the EPA as being in violation of this standard. The EPA has predicted, based on computer modeling, that the region won't meet the standard by 2015.
Smog
Ozone, the main ingredient in smog, forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) combine and react in heat and sunlight. NOx come from cars and trucks, as well as coal-fired power plants, diesel trucks and construction equipment. VOCs come from nature and chemical combustion. Studies by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division have determined that more ozone reductions can be achieved by reducing NOx rather than VOCs. In the Atlanta 20-county area, almost 50% of NOx come from vehicles. On hot summer days, Atlanta is likely to be under a code orange or red alert, which means residents are breathing unhealthy air.
Mercury
Mercury contamination in fetuses, infants and children can lead to de-velopmental and learning disabilities, reduced IQ, and impaired motor skills. It is estimated that over 600,000 newborns each year have unhealthy mercury levels. Adults exposed to even low amounts of mercury may be at higher risk for heart disease, altered sensation, impaired hearing and vision, and impaired motor skills. Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the U.S. Mercury falls from the air into rivers, lakes and coastal waters, where bacteria convert it into the toxic form – methylmercury. Aquatic species ingest or absorb the compound, which accumulates through the food chain, ultimately leading to humans.
Southerners face a greater risk of mercury poisoning due to the high number of old, coal-fired power plants in the region, and our unique wetlands and “black-waters” that promote conversion to methylmercury. Under the strongest requirements of the Clean Air Act, power plants could clean-up 90% of their emissions within 3 years, at a cost of less than 1% of the utility industry's revenue. But the EPA has weakened the rules.
