Originally published May 5 2005
Air quality has dramatically improved in the US, according to a new study
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Pacific Research Institute and the American Enterprise Institute's annual report on pollution has, surprisingly, found that air quality has improved dramatically across the nation. The Index of Leading Environmental Indicators found that the air contains the lowest level of pollution on record and almost the entire nation has achieved the standards set down by the Clean Air Act for four out of six major pollutants. This news will probably surprise a lot of environmentalists and, in fact, they may want to keep the good news under their hats for the time being. However, everyone should be happy that the country has dramatically improved in the areas of air pollution, mercury emissions, wetlands and forests.
A new report dispels myths about asthma and mercury and concludes that the United States has made significant environmental improvements.
The Pacific Research Institute and the American Enterprise Institute released their 10th edition of the Index of Leading Environmental Indicators on April 19.
The study shows that environmental quality continues to improve in several key areas, including air pollution, mercury emissions, wetlands and forests.
"The findings of this year�s index may surprise many environmental activists," said Steven Hayward, PRI senior fellow and author of the report.
Air pollution levels have fallen to the lowest levels ever recorded, and virtually the entire nation has achieved clean air standards for four of the six criteria pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act, according to the index.
Air quality in the 10 largest metropolitan areas has improved more than 53 percent since 1980.
The report also concludes there is little correlation between regional air quality and asthma rates, as evidenced by the fact that while pollution rates have declined, asthma rates have increased.
Mercury emissions also declined by 45 percent during the 1990s, primarily due to the phaseout of municipal and medical waste incinerators, according to the report, which is available at www.pacificresearch.org.
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