January 1, 2016
Utah Air Quality PM 2.5
Randy Martin, Utah State University
Roger A. Coulombe, Utah State University
Roslynn Brain
...
There appears to be no discernible threshold effect to the
adverse health effects associated with PM2.5. Short-term
(hours) exposure to PM2.5 can trigger heart attacks; and
long-term chronic exposure (years) has been shown to
decrease life expectancy15. In one study, increases of 10
micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m3) above ?clean
air? values (5 to 10 μg/m3) are associated with up to a 1%
rise in cardiovascular death15.
Studies in Utah are consistent with those in other
locations. Researchers at Brigham Young University
associated PM exposure with early mortality16 from
a variety of cardiovascular and other diseases17. Each
incremental PM2.5 rise of 10 μg/m3 was associated with
a 13.1% increase in hospital admissions due to heart
failure18. Also, University of Utah and Brigham Young
University researchers recently reported that the risk of
?serious? heart attacks increase by 15% for every increase
of 10μg above 25 μg per cubic liter of air19.
In addition to the myriad health effects, Utah?s business
community is increasingly concerned as air pollution
can reduce our ability to attract new companies,
jobs, and quality employees and their families20. For
example, in 2012, a state economic development officer
testified before a Utah legislative task force about how
representatives from a foreign company cut short a Utah
site visit upon experiencing a ?red air alert? pollution
day. ?These folks were shocked, literally shocked,? he
explained, ?They basically said ?we?re going to conclude
our visit early because we?re just not interested in being
in a place that has this kind of issue.??21.
