EPA preaches personal responsibility to asthma sufferers

The EPA wants us to clean up our houses; too bad they’re not doing their part. 2

On World Asthma Day -- May 3rd if you missed it -- the EPA urged the 20 million asthma sufferers across the nation to clean their houses. According to its press release, 70 percent of people with asthma could better manage the triggers that set off an attack.

Unfortunately for asthma sufferers, the last trigger on EPA's list is ozone, which is hard to control without the EPA's help. Insted of helping "better manage" ozone, the EPA has weakened controls on the industrial pollution that forms ozone, adopted rules that will delay ozone clean-up from power plants for over two decades, sought to extend ozone cleanup deadlines through policies, rules and legislation, and issued rules allowing states to weaken and eliminate even existing ozone control measures. (More here on the Bush EPA clean air record.)

Now I'll admit that the dust bunnies are usually winning the cleaning war in my house. But if the EPA expects me to better manage asthma triggers, I expect it to do its part too. It could start by using the law to inject a little responsibility into polluting industries.

Ana Unruh Cohen is the director of environmental policy at the Center for American Progress and a frequent Grist blogger.

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  1. Norris Posted 1:42 pm
    06 May 2005

    Don't Be HatingMy house is clean.  No roaches. No fauna. Hardwood floors.  Sweep them everyday.  I keep the dust down by dusting (I have a respirator). I welcome an EPA inspection.  And if I am found wanting, then MY BAD.
    Although I inherited asthma from my father and my son has inherited it from me, we can keep our abodes as clean as we want but we cannot go outside in the summertime because of smog.
    Where is the love EPA? I know you do not have the power to REALLY enforce the Clean Air Act.  I know that if you threaten building permits and road building, Congress will spank you.  So let the states continue to write their fictions (State Implementation Plans) while you blame the victim for the disease.  I notice you moved out of the Waterside Mall and it had air issues.  With an $8 billion per budget, maybe you should pay for some maid service for us instead of talking about the problems at so many conferences.
    But I take responsibility for my asthma.  I just wish you would take real responsibility for our air.  Where is the love?



    Norris McDonald
  2. DrCraig Posted 12:51 am
    22 Jul 2005

    Hello! Dust doesn't just settle down.As a physician I see asthma cases all the time, and I suffer from it myself. Dusting and sweeping is not the only thing that will help reduce the allergens in your home. Dust, skin particles, dust mites, smoke residue from cooking, etc... can settle on walls and ceilings too. It is all of these combined that make indoor air on average five times more polluted than outdoor air. THAT is why the EPA suggests doing a thorough cleaning which means getting powder to kill dust mites on your mattress, pillows, carpets, throw rugs, whatever. Ozone outside SHOULD be the least of your asthma worries. If you wipe your house down daily with vinegar (don't forget fans!) Try an air purifier, I reccommend going to http://www.breathepureair.com They have lots of information and links to studies and call them and these guys will help you learn about technologies in air purifiers and other ways to help reduce asthma triggers in your home, without all the sales bull$#!%.. Indoor Air, according to the American Lung ASsociation, is on average five times more polluted than indoor air due to lack of proper ventilation, air circulation and filtration. I don't think they pulled any of this out of their a$$e$, they do have well funded scientists doing studies on this stuff all the time.

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