Clean Air for the Upstate Area: An Action Agenda

Health risks of the Upstate's air

On April 15, 2004 the Upstate metropolitan area was designated as a nonattainment area under the EPA’s ozone requirements. This means that, based on data from air quality monitors through the region, EPA found that the Upstate area was not meeting the national health-based air quality standard for ozone, putting the health of area residents at risk.
Air pollution carries serious health risks including asthma attacks, lung cancer, heart disease and premature death.
Recent research in 95 large urban areas found that short-term increases in ozone concentrations were associated with increased death rates the following week.
The American Lung Association estimates that over 46,000 adults and 20,000 children in the Upstate suffer from asthma.
Because their lungs are still developing, children are the most vulnerable to asthma. In fact, evidence shows that ozone exposure can actually cause active children in highly polluted areas to develop the disease.
Asthma costs over $154 million annually in South Carolina, including $88 million for direct and $66 million for indirect medical costs.
Particle pollution, consisting of tiny solids and liquid droplets of acids, chemicals, metals and dust released by power plants and other industrial sources, has been linked to increased lung cancer mortality and an increased risk of cardiovascular health problems, including irregular heartbeats, heart failure and cardiovascular mortality.