Could Your Pittsburgh Home Be Making Your Family Sick?

Local environmental groups have long focused attention and research dollars on Pittsburgh’s poor outdoor air quality and how it affects the well-being of our residents. But something we often fail to discuss is the toll that poor indoor air quality in homes, schools, and businesses takes on our health. 

Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, where they are commonly exposed to chronic low levels of various biological, chemical, and material toxins. Though everyone is exposed to indoor air pollution, residents of Pittsburgh face special challenges. Children, the elderly, and those with certain pre-existing health conditions are at the highest risk.

Source: cskt.org

Pittsburgh's Indoor Air Threats

Why should Pittsburgh residents pay special attention to indoor air pollutants? Research has shown that negative health effects from air pollution (indoor or outdoor) are cumulative. Continual exposure to environmental pollutants can be very serious even at levels below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards of America (NAAQS). Because the American Lung Association ranks Pittsburgh’s outdoor air quality among the least healthy in the country, residents and businesses should do everything they can to ensure healthy indoor environments.

The other reason that local residents should be especially concerned is because Pittsburgh's geography and old housing stock mean that we face exposures to more asbestos, lead, and radon than people in other areas might. Serious health risks of these indoor pollutants include:

• Asthma
• Cancer
• Heart and lung disease
• Neurodevelopmental disorders

Below is an overview of common regional pollutants that may be lurking in your indoor air and a discussion of how they may be affecting the health of you and your family.

Asbestos 

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was commonly added to a variety of products to provide strength, insulation, and heat resistance. Until the late 1970s, asbestos could be found in many types of building materials including roofing, paint, walls, floors, and pipes. There are different types of asbestos and each has a different appearance. Below is an asbestos-containing insulated heating pipe typical in older homes:

Source: pittsburghhomeinspector.com

Left alone, asbestos is not known to be hazardous. However, repairs and remodels may disturb asbestos and release its dangerous fibers into the air, where they can be inhaled. Asbestos inhalation is associated with several serious diseases:

• Asbestosis: scarring of the lungs that leads to cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing
• Pleural changes or plaques: hardening of the lining of the chest cavity resulting in difficulty breathing 
• Lung cancer
• Mesothelioma: a rare cancer involving the covering of the lungs and lining of abdominal cavity

Because Pennsylvania ranks third in the nation for having the most homes built before 1950, it is reasonable to assume that many older homes in our area have asbestos-containing materials; homeowners of old homes should be particularly cautious. Indeed, government statistics rank Allegheny County 15th highest in the country for asbestos-related deaths. Each black dot on the map of Pennsylvania below represents an asbestos-related death; note the cluster in Pittsburgh. 

Source: Environmental Working Group

Lead

Another concern related to Pittsburgh’s older housing stock is lead. Lead is a naturally occurring element that can be harmful when inhaled or ingested. Many homes built prior to 1978 contain lead-based paint. Like asbestos, lead paint is not hazardous if left undisturbed. However, remodeling or other home repairs may release lead dust. 

Additionally, chipped or cracked areas, or painted areas that undergo a lot of wear and tear like windowsills and doors may release lead into the indoor environment. Another potential hazard in homes built before 1986 is lead water pipes; in time these can corrode and release lead into drinking water. There are plenty of other sources of lead too. One study found that 64% of older bathtubs have leachable lead in surface paint:

Source: Ideal Home Garden

Children and adults are at risk from lead poisoning, though children under the age of 6 are particularly susceptible to the health effects, which include:

• Behavior and learning problems
• Lower IQ 
• Hyperactivity
• Slowed growth
• Hearing problems
• Irritability
• Anemia
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Health effects in adults include:

• Neurological, motor, and reproductive issues 
• Hearing and vision loss
• High blood pressure
• Impaired fetal development (even at low levels)

Pittsburgh ranks 28th on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) list of the 129 cities with the highest number of children estimated to have elevated lead blood levels. Also, many children in Allegheny County belong to high-risk groups for elevated lead levels because they live in poverty or live in dwellings built before 1950. 

Source: EPA

Radon

Radon is an odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the decay of uranium, which is found in small amounts in rocks and soil. Radon gas typically sneaks into a home by moving up through the ground and into the structure through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Radon is a serious health risk as it known to cause cancer; in fact, it is the leading cause of cancer in non-smokers.

Source: Radon CA

Any home, regardless of age or structure type, can have a radon problem. Radon is a particular concern in our region because Pennsylvania is part of the so-called “radon belt,” which is a geographic area that stretches wide across the US. The red-colored areas designated as "Zone 1" are regions that are predicted to have elevated, unsafe average indoor radon levels.

Source: EPA

Unfortunately, residents of Pittsburgh and the rest of Allegheny County are in the potentially unhealthy red zone, as you can see in this detailed map of Pennsylvania:

Source: EPA

So, what is an acceptable level of radon? While there is no “safe” level of radon, experts recommend fixing a home if the radon level is 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) or higher. Even this level may pose a health risk, however, and can usually be reduced to 2 pCi/L or less.

Nationally, the average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L. The unsettling news for Pittsburgh residents is that average indoor radon levels in Allegheny County are 6.6 pCi/L. Confused? The chart below may help.  

Source: National Radon Defense

Other concerning statistics include:

• An estimated 40% of Pennsylvania homes have radon levels greater than the EPA guideline of 4 pCi/L.
  
• About 270,000 single homes in Pennsylvania, with about 750,000 occupants, are expected to have radon levels greater than 20 pCi/L (over five times greater than the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L).
  
• Only about 10% of homes in Pennsylvania have been tested for radon.
• Estimated lung cancer deaths per year in Pennsylvania due to residential radon exposure are between 860 - 3,800.

What You Can Do

The good news for Pittsburgh residents is that all of these indoor air quality issues can usually be avoided and corrected, but they must be found before the damage to our health takes hold. Education of homeowners and contractors is essential in avoiding asbestos and lead exposures. Universal lead screenings are also recommended for our region’s children. Radon testing is relatively easy and inexpensive to do, and radon mitigation works to decrease levels to healthy standards.

While not particular to Pittsburgh, given our high levels of asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, residents should also be aware of how other indoor air pollutants affect health. Particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, biological pollutants, and smoke from wood burning and cigarettes are just some of the issues that should be addressed in an effort to raise awareness and improve our region’s health. 

Pittsburgh's Beautiful Pollution

It is difficult to get people to pay attention to air pollution. Many people in our great city think that Pittsburgh's unhealthy air is not much of a concern. But in what seems like an unlikely merger, art and pollution are coming together to educate the public on just how serious our city's particle pollution problem is. 

A new art installation celled "Particle Falls" (pictured below) in downtown Pittsburgh is, in the words of artist Andrea Polli, "making the invisible visible."

Source: The Breathe Project/Scott Goldsmith

Andrea Polli is an artist whose work focuses on media and technology installations related to environmental causes. She is currently an Associate Professor of Art and Ecology at the University of New Mexico. In this piece, Polli uses a nephelometer (see graphic below) -- a specialized instrument that measures aerosol light scattering -- to measure the fine particulate matter in our air. A computer program interprets and provides a visualization of the data in real time. And that's what appears on the wall.

Those white dots you see in the picture above? Particles in our air. The more you see, the more particle pollution you are breathing in.  

Nephelometer
Source: US Dept. of Commerce

Particle Pollution

Also called particulate matter, these microscopic specks are a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles such as dust, dirt, soot, and smoke can be seen with the naked eye. Smaller particles can only be detected with an electron microscope. Sources of particulate matter include construction sites, unpaved roads, smokestacks, fires, power plants, and motor vehicles. 

In downtown Pittsburgh, diesel emissions from vehicles are a major source of particle pollution. As discussed previously in this blog, the serious health consequences of breathing in these fine particles are well-documented and include asthma, autism, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and others. 

Source: British Columbia Air Quality

Check It Out!

Particle Falls can be seen downtown on the facade of the Benedum Center in the 700 block of Penn Avenue though December 31, 2014. It runs from dusk until midnight. Particle Falls has also been shown in San Jose, CA and Philadelphia, PA. 

View this short video commissioned by The Breathe Project to learn more about this project. You can also attend an upcoming artist lecture and panel discussion on Saturday, December 13th.

Air pollution is one of our region's most pressing problems, yet it receives little attention from the public. Does this piece give you a new perspective on Pittsburgh's air pollution? 

Good News About Pittsburgh's Air Pollution

Is this blog depressing, or is it just me? When I set out to write the Pittsburgh Smog Blog for a class project, I was among the 65% of Pittsburgh residents who believed that our region's air pollution was not a big deal. So finding out that the air my child and I are breathing is among the most polluted in the country came as quite a shock.

But there is some good news. This Thanksgiving week, I'd like to take some time to tell you the top 5 reasons why I believe Pittsburgh is on the right track...


#1. Governor-elect Tom Wolf: Democrat Tom Wolf won the election this month and environmentalists are breathing a huge sigh of relief. Wolf ran on a platform of imposing tougher regulations on Marcellus Shale drillers and other groups with environmental impacts; his predecessor Tom Corbett has been viewed as being lax on regulations and putting profit before environmental issues. It will be interesting to see how things change when Wolf takes office in January 2015!


#2. Mayor Bill Peduto: Pittsburgh's new mayor is known to be a friend to the environment. While serving on city council, he was a vocal supporter of legislation aimed at making Pittsburgh a cleaner, greener city. As mayor, his "100 Days; 100 Policies to Change Pittsburgh" features a number of policies focused on sustainability.

Pennsylvania Governor-elect Tom Wolf (left) and
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto (right) courtesy of YouTube

#3. Particle pollution levels down: while Pittsburgh's fine particle pollution is still at dangerous levels, the 2014 American Lung Association "State of the Air" report shows it at its lowest level in fifteen years. This is due in part to switching some power plants from coal to gas burning, and cleaner burning diesel engines (see #5). So the overall news isn't great but at least we are headed in the right direction!


#4. Bicycle commuting on the rise: Mayor Bill Peduto has vowed to make Pittsburgh into "a cycling mecca." He's even hired a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, and inconvenienced countless Pittsburghers by closing down local roads to build bike lanes. But I don't mind the temporary shut-downs (or driving behind a slow moving bike when I'm running late)...more bikes mean less air pollution!

Source: bikepgh.org

#5. Cleaner vehicle emissions: responding to federal regulations, Allegheny County has been busy installing new filters and in some cases new engines on PAT buses, school buses, garbage and municipal trucks, and others. These retrofits are estimated to reduce emissions from these vehicles by 90%. While there are still many vehicles on the road that do not meet current standards, the reduction in particle pollution is a step in the right direction and a step away from this:

This photo of a barely visible truck shrouded in a cloud of smoke
(and headed towards the Kennywood sign) courtesy of GASP

Where There's Smoke, There's Pollution

I've never lived in a house with a working fireplace, but like many people I absolutely love the smells, sights, and sounds of a roaring fire. Walking into my house the other day on a chilly day, I smelled the unmistakable aroma of burning wood from a neighbor's fireplace and felt an immediate rush of joy. But that joy quickly turned into a curiosity about what it is I'm actually inhaling.

Source: britannica.com

• 52% of US homes have at least one fireplace or wood burning stove.

• Fireplace owners report that they typically use their fireplaces 52 times per year.

• Fireplaces rank second among top features desired by home buyers.

• 55% of new home builds include a fireplace.

• Pittsburgh homes have nearly 300,000 fireplaces.

Wood Burning

"The passion for wood fire is real and is a strong marketing force," according to Walter Moberg, president of Moberg Fireplaces and quoted in this 2006 marketing report. Moberg states that our affinity for natural, organic fire is embedded in the human psyche and remains a vital part of our culture. But according to health experts, if you can smell wood smoke, you are breathing pollution that is hazardous to your health.  The graphic below shows how wood burning emissions compares to other sources of pollution. 

Source: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

Health Effects of Wood Burning

Wood smoke is made up of particulate matter (microscopic particles) and gases. Particulate matter (PM) can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where it can cause acute health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose, and respiratory illnesses. Toxic chemicals emitted during wood burning include benzene, formaldehyde, acrolein, carbon monoxide, dioxin, methane, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many of these are known carcinogens.

Wood burning fireplaces are associated with the development and/or worsening of the following chronic health problems:

• Asthma: inhaling small particles can trigger asthma attacks. 

• Cancer: EPA researchers say wood smoke is worse than cigarette smoke. 

• Cardiovascular disease: fine particles travel deep into the lungs or into the bloodstream and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Even small amounts of PM can aggravate health problems for those with pre-existing conditions.

• COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: researchers suggest wood smoke has been causing COPD since ancient times: this article notes that evidence of COPD has been found in mummified remains.

• Ear infections: one study found that children breathing the highest levels of wood smoke were 32% more likely to have a doctor visit for a middle-eat infection than those breathing the lowest levels. 

• Respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

• Children are at particularly high risk for health effects from wood smoke because they breathe in more air in proportion to their size than adults. Kids who breathe wood smoke regularly show higher rates of asthma and other respiratory effects, pneumonia, and sleep disturbances. 

Source: EPA

What You Can Do

It is nearly impossible to avoid all wood smoke from fireplaces. Even if you do not have a fireplace in your home, the particulate matter from your neighbor's wood smoke is so small that windows and doors cannot keep it out. If you do have a fireplace, the following guidelines from the EPA can help keep your air safer. 

• Choose only EPA-certified wood-burning appliances.

• Make sure wood-burning equipment is properly installed, inspected, and maintained.

• Avoid smoldering fires. 

• Use only dry, seasoned firewood, split to the right size.

• Reduce the need for fuel by making your home more energy efficient.

Learn more at Burn Wise.

Exercising in Pittsburgh's Air Pollution? You May Want to Think Twice

In my last post, I wrote about local environmental group GASP's program "Athletes United for Healthy Air," a group who believes that everyone has the right to exercise in clean air. In researching this topic, I was shocked to read that the risks of exercising outdoors in polluted air might actually outweigh the benefits. 

Particulate matter and ozone, two areas where Pittsburgh leads the country in unhealthy levels, are particularly bad for those who exercise outdoors. 

Source: imaginepittsburgh.com

People involved in aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, swimming, and walking inhale more air and breathe more deeply. They also tend to breathe through the mouth more, so pollutants that are usually filtered through the nose are able to sneak in. In fact, a 2004 study found that during exercise, "low concentrations of pollutants caused lung damage similar to that caused by high concentrations in people not working out."

Exercising in bad air is associated with the following risks:

• Damage to airways of lungs
• Worsening/development of asthma
• Increased risk of heart attacks and stroke
• Increased risk of death from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease

This short video explains how toxins from air pollution move around in our bodies:

Mitigating the Effects of Air Pollution

As scary as it is, especially if you are someone who likes to exercise outdoors, there are steps you can take to lessen your exposure to dangerous air pollutants:

• Know your air pollution. Check the local air quality index on a daily basis and follow instructions.
• Know your risk! If you have asthma or other special conditions, pay attention to recommendations.
• Limit outdoor exercise at time of the day when it might be particularly bad outside, like at rush hour and midday. 
• Try to exercise at least 50 feet away from roadways, where vehicle exhaust is at its worst.

Solving Pittsburgh's Air Pollution Problem

After learning about Pittsburgh's serious air pollution problem, you might be asking yourself the following questions... 

Why isn't anybody doing anything about this?

How can I get involved?

The good news is that there are plenty of local groups fighting to increase awareness, fund research, and push government and industries to tighten their regulations. The groups highlighted below are certainly not the only ones in Pittsburgh, but they are all very active and approach the problem in different ways. 


The Allegheny Front is a local group known for its popular public radio program covering environmental issues in Southwestern Pennsylvania. On their website, they also provide original content that includes interviews, stories, and political commentary. The Allegheny Front was started in 1991.

Click here to listen to a recent broadcast that examines where our new governor-elect Tom Wolf stands on environmental issues, as well as other topics.

***

GASP or Group Against Smog and Pollution is a non-profit environmental citizens' group that has been operating in the Pittsburgh area since 1969. GASP uses education, advocacy, public meetings, media strategies, and even litigation to inform the public and enforce and strengthen regulations. GASP has many volunteer opportunities and several cool initiatives (see below) aimed at getting citizens involved:

• Athletes United for Healthy Air: Did you know that the risks of exercising in polluted air might actually outweigh the benefits? GASP's Athletes for Cleaner Air group promotes the idea that all athletes have the right to exercise in healthy air. They sponsor educational events and outdoor activities such as the Clean Air Dash 5K. 

• Bicycle Air Monitoring Program: GASP is providing bicyclists with special monitors to collect air pollution readings around our city, in an effort to identify polluted hotspots. Click here for more information or to sign up! 
• Below is a screenshot showing information collected by bicycle monitors already. The map could use some additional explanation in my opinion, but even here you can see that downtown Pittsburgh has a lot of particulate matter in the air, as evidenced by the red dots. Link to the live map here.

Source: GASP

• Smoke Readers are volunteers trained to spot and measure emissions from local plants; they also learn to file reports when they see a violation. These efforts have led to fines against companies. Want to get trained and get involved? Start here. And see the Smoke Readers in action below in this WTAE story!

***

Marcellus Protest is another environmental group focused on Western Pennsylvania. This group formed in 2010 to protest local Marcellus gas drilling, which is also known as hydraulic fracturing or "fracking." Fracking is associated with air and water pollution, and dangerous health effects. Marcellus Protest organizes rallies, engages in advocacy and fundraising, and promotes stories to the media to call attention to negative health and environmental effects associated with this industry. Take a look at their informative monthly newsletter here or register to volunteer here.

Source: Marcellus Protect Facebook page,
featuring a 2013 protest in Downtown Pittsburgh

***

The Breathe Project is a local initiative launched by The Heinz Endowments in 2011. This group includes citizens, industry, government, and medical research stakeholders on a mission to improve air quality and health in our region. According to their website, working with "Breathe Project Coalition Partners" has yielded positive results for our community, as evidenced by the graphic below showing a 16.5 ton decrease in emissions reduction. Though I do not see any volunteer opportunities, they do provide tips on how you can lessen your personal environmental impact. The organization's Facebook page is more active than the website. I'm looking forward to hearing more from the Breathe Project!

Source: The Breathe Project

***

Here are some other groups that are active in our region. Some are local and others are national groups with local chapters:

• Air & Waste Management Association 
• Clean Air Council
• Clean Water Action
• PennFuture
• Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities
• Sierra Club
• Sustainable Pittsburgh
• Women for a Healthy Environment

Want to be added to the list? Send a comment!

Next Up

Reading about GASP's "Athletes United for Healthy Air" project made me gasp! Aside from walking my dogs and gardening, I don't get much outdoor exercise. But I was shocked to read that exercising in bad air is so risky. Next up in the Pittsburgh Smog Blog, I'll use a video to show you how exactly toxins from air pollution get into our bodies and what happens after they do. 

Health Effects of Air Pollution

I've been talking a lot about Pittsburgh's air pollution. But why should you care? Because air pollution is associated with serious health risks. If you or someone you love is breathing, read on to learn more about how some of these health issues impact us locally.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2013, referring to a report that finds local residents at increased risk for cancer.

• The Centers for Disease Control reports that asthma, COPD, heart disease, and stroke are related to air pollution, and children may be particularly affected. 
• Air pollution is also linked to cancer, and experts say the risk may be "grossly underestimated."
• Other risks include premature birth, premature death, infant mortality, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

Source: The Breathe Project

Pittsburgh Air Pollution & Your Health

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Overall

In 2010, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette conducted a yearlong study of regional health effects from air pollution, in which they performed "mortality mapping" to look for relationships between power plants and specific diseases. Click here to read this amazing series of articles.

According to the Post-Gazette, statistics show that 14,636 more people died from heart disease, respiratory disease, and lung cancer in the region from 2000-2008 than national mortality rates would predict. Even after adjusting for slightly higher smoking rates in Pennsylvania, that's a 10% higher mortality rate overall than expected. Although other factors contribute to the development of these diseases, they have all been linked to air pollution exposure.

A report from the non-profit environmental group Clean Air Task Force, entitled "The Toll from Coal" underscores the impact that our region's coal-fired power plants have on our health. The charts below shows that Pennsylvania is first for health impacts from these plants.

Source: Clean Air Task Force

Asthma

Though genetics, indoor air quality, and smoking play a role in the development and course the disease, experts agree that air pollution contributes to the problem. Since days of high pollution exacerbate asthma attacks, improving air quality in Pittsburgh will improve asthmatics' quality of life.

• Many of the dangerous air pollutants in Pittsburgh, such as particulate matter, ground level ozone, and sulfur dioxide, are known to trigger asthma. 
• About 13-14% of Pittsburghers suffer from asthma, compared with 8-10% of people nationwide.
• Pittsburgh moves from 16th to 15th worst place for asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 
• Kids in the Northgate Schools, which is downwind from Neville Island's industrial pollution, have asthma rates that are more than double the state average. Researchers think it may be related to black carbon from the area's coke plants. The video below from local station WTAE details the situation.

Cancer

Allegheny County residents are in the top 2% in the country for cancer risk from air pollution, according to a 2013 report released by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. And in some particularly bad areas, the cancer risk is 20 times what would normally be expected.

This increased risk is due to a broad class of air pollutants called hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), which are also known as air toxics. HAPs are a category of approximately 200 unique pollutants specifically identified by the EPA that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects and have a tendency to reach significant concentrations in the air we breathe. 

Most HAPs are released into the atmosphere as the result of human activity, with industrial plants and motor vehicles contributing the most. The chart below explains the specific sources of HAPs:

Source: PRETA Report

The report found that the areas with the highest risk levels are clustered in the southeastern corner of Allegheny County where heavy industry affects air quality:

• Liberty-Clairton area near US Steel's Clairton Coke Works
• Communities downwind from Neville Island, home to many industrial sources
• Downtown Pittsburgh, where diesel emissions play a major role

Autism

There is not much research in this area yet, but a recent University of Pittsburgh study made big headlines in our area. Preliminary results from the study revealed that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were more likely to have been exposed to high levels of air toxics during their mothers' pregnancies through the age of 2. The study was performed by interviewing 217 local families with children on the autism spectrum in the Pittsburgh region (Allegheny and five other counties) and comparing that data to families who did not have children with autism. The group then looked at air pollution information to make the correlation. 

The Post-Gazette reports that "Children who fell into higher exposure groups of styrene and chromium were at a 1.4- to two-fold greater risk of ASD, after accounting for the age of the mother, maternal cigarette smoking, race and education. Styrene is used in plastics and paints and is a product of combustion from burning gasoline in vehicles. Air pollution containing chromium is typically the result of the industrial process from industries such as steel manufacturing."

While the researchers agree that more research is needed, the lead author points out that the findings are consistent with the few previous studies that have shown a link between air pollution and ASD.

Know Your Risks & Get Involved!

If you've ever heard a warning about an "Air Quality Action Day" on the news, it's because monitors have detected high levels of air pollution. Click here to see Pittsburgh's air quality (it's good today!) on the AirNow website. 

We all breathe air, so if you live in Pittsburgh, there is not much you can do to avoid the pollution. But you can spread the word about the dangers in our community and get involved in groups that advocate for change! Next up in the Pittsburgh Smog Blog, we will look at local groups fighting for cleaner air.