Pollution

A company that was once fined for failing to comply with the Clean Air Act is now on its way to becoming one of the leaders in the air pollution lowering game. The Journal Sentinel reports Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPS), based out of Green Bay, recently got approval to install a sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide lowering system that is already heavily used in Japan.

More specifically, the system, known as ReACT, costs $275 million to install, and will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide by up to 90 percent and lower nitrogen oxide levels by between 20 and 60 percent. WPS decided to look into this plan after it was faced with a lawsuit claiming it violated the Clean Air Act by failing to install pollution control systems in the coal plant years ago.

Installing the ReACT system in the coal company could be a step in the right direction. The Union of Concerned Scientists reports coal plants are the top source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., and are the leading cause of smog, acid rain and toxic air pollution.

Finding ways to lower the air pollution levels caused by coal plants is an important step in helping people enjoy fresher air, but it could take awhile to implement changes around the nation. For now,  those who are concerned about the harmful effects of air pollution can install a professional-grade air purifier like Airgle PurePal AG800 in their homes to ensure their families breathe easy while in their private dwellings. 

Air pollution is on the rise around the nation, making it more crucial than ever for the government to find a way to curb or prevent the issue. The Tribune reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced its plans to change the current Air Quality Index levels. 

Under the change, the EPA will lessen the air quality rates from 15 to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. Lowering the rates will mean different cities around the country will likely see more days that are considered "moderate" in terms of air quality.

AIRNow reports the Air Quality Index is meant to tell residents how clean or polluted the air in their region is on a daily basis. Levels that are between 0 and 50 are considered "good" in terms of how healthy the air is, while levels from 51 to 100 are deemed "moderate" and levels between 101 and 150 are pegged as "unhealthy for sensitive groups." Any levels over 151 are listed as various forms of "unhealthy." Looking closer, the website reports days considered moderate mean air quality is acceptable, but pollutants in the air could be of concern for people who are "unusually sensitive to air pollution."

Since the change in air quality levels will soon go into effect, it might be smart for families who suffer from the side effects of air pollution to invest in an air purifier like the Airgle PurePal MultiGas AG950 to breathe easy in the home.

Air pollution is a serious problem that seems to be getting worse, leading many people to install professional-grade air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal Plus AG850 to breathe easy at home. Despite the growing issue, a new study has found unhealthy air can be crossed off the list of possible reasons behind rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Researchers have long believed that there could be a link between the form of arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease leading to inflammation of the joints, and air pollution. However, a new study may have debunked this idea. 

Scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital used the Nurses' Health Study, which has the medical records of more than 11.400 women from between 1976 and 2006, to look for RA incidents and a possible link to air pollution. A total of 858 women developed RA over the course of 30 years. Researchers used these participants' mailing addresses to gauge how close they lived to places of high air pollution as well as other known pollutant-makers like power plants and highways. 

Overall, the researchers found no solid link between RA and air pollution. However, the authors are quick to point out that more trials need to be conducted to verify the recent findings.

Even if there is no real connection to RA, air pollution can lead to a number of other serious medical conditions. Most recently, scientists from Rice University found cardiac arrest incidents went up on days when air pollution levels were above average. 

Air pollution continues to be a major problem as it can not only affect how people breathe, it can also lead to serious medical conditions like asthma, allergies and even more serious respiratory illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. 

Since issues with air pollution continue to come up, more researchers from around the globe are looking into ways to curb the side effects. The Times of India reports that Vijay Raj, a college student at Kalasalingam University, recently came up with a model that could combat air pollution. 

Raj, a mechanical engineering student, created a model in which smoke and water mix together to create carbonic acid, which occurs when hydrogen in the water reacts with carbon dioxide, the news source reports. This procedure has been found to eliminate pollution and offer benefits as well. 

"The carbonic acid could be used to generate electricity. The residue carbon could be used in carbon-based industries,'' Raj told the news source.

Even though there could be a way to use Raj's method to rid cities of air pollution in the future, there are other ways families can enjoy fresh air now. Installing a medical grade air purifier like Airgle PurePal MultiGas AG950 in the home helps ensure people breathe easy in their dwellings.

Air pollution is a growing problem around the world, but its effects are greatly felt in North America. This continent produces approximately 6 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a joint study conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, EarthJustice, and the Sierra Club. Due to the shocking numbers, more cities around the nation are looking into ways to cut their pollution.

The city of Helena, Mont., is one such location, as the Lewis and Clark City-County Health Board is planning to voluntarily join an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program in order to learn new methods of pollution reduction, the Helena Independent Record reports. The desire to join the EPA's Particulate Matter Advance Program comes after a survey found a shockingly low number of city residents believes the region has air pollution. 

The survey, which questioned 270 random households, found 83 percent of respondents did not believe there was an air pollution problem in Helena, even though many here choose to heat their homes with firewood. This shocked members of the health board because this type of burning, along with car emissions, is among the biggest pollution issue in America.

As more information comes out regarding the dangers of air pollution, some families might take comfort knowing they can breathe easy at home by installing professional grade air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal CleanRoom AG900.

Air pollution increases risk for a variety of medical conditions ranging from asthma to cardiac arrest, according to a recent study by Rice University. Now, new data has discovered air pollution typically found in urban regions may also trigger a behavior similar to addiction.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Sciences, found that baby mice who were exposed to particles found in urban air grew more impatient in waiting for treats than a second group of mice who breathed in filtered air. In fact, 43 percent of the test group of mice hit a lever for treats instead of waiting for their reward. Mice who breathed only filtered air were much more patient when it came to wanting treats. More surprisingly, adult mice exposed to air pollution did not develop impatience like their younger peers.

Researchers believe this shows that breathing in high levels of pollutants, like those from car exhaust, could negatively affect how much self-control people have if they've breathed bad air in at a young age - possibly highlighting a link between air pollution and addictive behavior. 

Even though more research needs to be conducted to verify these results, parents can ensure their youngsters breathe in fresh air by installing professional grade air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal Plus AG850 into their homes.

For most people, the true signs of summer include wearing flip flops and grilling up burgers and hot dogs in the backyard. Even though there may be no better taste than that of a burger right off the grill, a new study may have people refraining from the BBQ.

Scientists from the University of California, Davis, recently discovered toxins from grilling are some of the most potent when it comes to air pollution. Researchers came to this conclusion after taking air pollution particle samples from the Fresno area and then exposing lab mice to the air to check for different effects. Air from grilling with charcoal was high on the list that also included wood-burning emissions and particles from vehicles.

"That was like, wow!" Anthony Wexler, the study's coauthor told The Los Angeles Times. "It's not that you're cooking; it's how you're cooking. We think it's the [charcoal] briquets that are the problem."

CBS Las Vegas reports another study conducted by researchers from the University of California, Riverside, found grilling is the second largest source of air pollution in the South Coast Air Basin, making it a growing problem for people and the environment.

Since grilling isn't likely going out of style any time soon, those concerned about air pollution might want to install high-quality air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal CleanRoom AG900 to breathe well indoors.

Air pollution continues to be a large problem around the nation, and a new study finds its effects could spell trouble for people with heart conditions. Researchers from Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently discovered patients with heart problems could be more likely to go into cardiac arrest on days when air pollution levels are higher than normal. 

Scientists came to this conclusion after comparing cardiac arrest incidents that occurred outside of a hospital setting, with the air quality reports of Houston between 2004 and 2011. More than 11,000 incidents took place over the course of this time, while occurrences increased on days in which air pollution levels were high. More specifically, cardiac arrest risk increased by 4.4 percent for every 20 parts per billion of above average pollution. 

This is alarming, especially since North America alone accounts for 6 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a joint reports conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, EarthJustice and the Sierra Club. People suffering from heart conditions might want to consider installing medical grade air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal MultiGas AG950 into their homes to avoid certain issues on a daily basis, but especially on days when air pollution is high.

Air pollution is a serious problem around the nation, with high levels hovering around most of the major cities in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association. Not only does pollution like smog negatively affect a person's body and overall health, but it can also increase the risk of people suffering an early death from issues like heart attacks and stroke. 

A recent study conducted by scientists from the University of Ulsan's College of Medicine has found a link between air pollution and an increased risk of childhood asthma. The link was made when youngsters also had a history of suffering from bronchiolitis, or inflammation of the bronchioles. Researchers found of the 1,743 children involved, those who had a history of bronchiolitis and who had been exposed to high levels of air pollution, where more likely to develop asthma as a result, in comparison to kids who did not have either problem. 

"Together, these findings suggest that environmental control may improve respiratory health in children with atopy or bronchiolitis," said Soo-Jong Hong, lead author of the study.

Even though strides are being made to reduce air pollution levels stateside, it may be helpful for families to install an air purifier like the Airgle PurePal CleanRoom AG900 into the home to give children a chance to enjoy fresh air in their dwellings.

Side effects of air pollution and smog have continued to come out in recent years, and members of the Utah Division of Air Quality are looking to make some serious changes around the region. Fox 13 News reports the group met recently to discuss the state's air pollution levels, and ways to reduce areas with the highest rates.

This winter alone, Utah has had 22 red air days, while the state had just five last year. Red days refer to days of excessive PM pollution. During the recent discussions, board members decided wood-burning boilers that heat homes will no longer be legal in counties with high pollution rates. More regulations are set to be put in place in the near future - the state hopes to reduce its air pollution by 30 percent by 2014. 

Curbing air pollution in the U.S. is growing increasingly important. A new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has found there is a small, but real link between air pollution and lower birth weights for babies. 

It may be hard to control air pollution outside of the home, but families can breathe easy in their own dwellings by investing in home air purifiers like the Airgle PurePal Plus AG850. This way family members will benefit from only clean air while in the house.