Pollution levels increase
IEPA report shows good air quality in rural areas
Joe Astrouski / City Editor
Issue date: 1/27/09 Section: News
After a 10-year decline, air pollution levels in Illinois rose slightly during 2007, according to a report released earlier this month by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Still, air quality remained good for most of the year.
"Air quality during 2007 was either good or moderate more than 93 percent of the time throughout Illinois," the report said. "There were 24 days when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups.'"
In 2006, by contrast, only eight days had pollution levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Air pollution at that level increases the risk of breathing problems for people with asthma and other respiratory diseases, according to the IEPA.
Pollution also reached a level considered "unhealthy" for the general population once during 2007, a level never reached during 2006.
But while pollution levels rose in other parts of the state, air in the Charleston area remained relatively clean.
In the Decatur study-area, which includes Charleston, 74.8 percent of days in 2007 had "good" air quality, while the other 25.2 percent had "moderate" air quality. There are more than 80 study areas in the state.
Belayet Khan, an associate professor who teaches climatology, said rural communities such as Charleston often have good air quality.
"Here in Charleston - in a rural area - we really don't have anything that would … degrade air quality," Khan said. "The air quality here is much better than that in a big city."
The Illinois EPA report emphasized that air quality throughout the state improved between 1998 and 2007.
According to the report, carbon monoxide levels dropped 48 percent, sulfur dioxide levels fell 29 percent and lead levels fell 20 percent.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7945 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
"Air quality during 2007 was either good or moderate more than 93 percent of the time throughout Illinois," the report said. "There were 24 days when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups.'"
In 2006, by contrast, only eight days had pollution levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Air pollution at that level increases the risk of breathing problems for people with asthma and other respiratory diseases, according to the IEPA.
Pollution also reached a level considered "unhealthy" for the general population once during 2007, a level never reached during 2006.
But while pollution levels rose in other parts of the state, air in the Charleston area remained relatively clean.
In the Decatur study-area, which includes Charleston, 74.8 percent of days in 2007 had "good" air quality, while the other 25.2 percent had "moderate" air quality. There are more than 80 study areas in the state.
Belayet Khan, an associate professor who teaches climatology, said rural communities such as Charleston often have good air quality.
"Here in Charleston - in a rural area - we really don't have anything that would … degrade air quality," Khan said. "The air quality here is much better than that in a big city."
The Illinois EPA report emphasized that air quality throughout the state improved between 1998 and 2007.
According to the report, carbon monoxide levels dropped 48 percent, sulfur dioxide levels fell 29 percent and lead levels fell 20 percent.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7945 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
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