Big fires, particularly in California in 2018, played a role in driving up total national air pollution. A final potential driver of rising pollution is the rollback of regulatory enforcement by the Environmental Protection Agency. ADADOne thing that’s clear at the moment is the effect that rising pollution is having on mortality and life expectancy. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the Camp Fire alone caused more than 1,400 deaths due to air pollution exposure. Given the recent findings, the Carnegie Mellon researchers say, the decline in federal enforcement “is concerning in light of the increases in air pollution” that have occurred since 2016.

Source: Washington Post October 23, 2019 11:03 UTC