Population Health

April 25, 2023

Disparities in air pollution exposure could be eliminated with a community-based approach

Air pollution visible from ships anchored in a harborSignificant improvements in air quality in the United States have been realized in recent years, partly due to the Clean Air Act, yet people of color still face higher than normal rates of air pollution.

A project led by University of Washington researchers compared three approaches to tackling air pollution, two of which mirrored the Clean Air Act and the third a community-based approach that is not commonly used. For each strategy, the researchers analyzed national emissions data and then specific emission sources throughout the country with modeling that imposed concentration standards at either the regional level or within specific communities.

The findings? While the first two approaches that were similar to the Clean Air Act did not completely eliminate disparities, the other community-based approach eliminated pollution disparities and reduced the overall exposure to pollution.

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