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Connecticut and Long Island fail to meet World Health Organization air pollution standards

Ian Barbour
/
Flickr

Air pollution in Connecticut and Long Island exceeded the World Health Organization’s air quality standards for 2021.

IQAir monitors air quality around the world, and their report released this month took a look at particulate matter in the air, including dust, soot, dirt, smoke and liquid droplets. This matter can be dangerous to breathe in if it is larger than WHO’s guidelines of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.

IQAir’s monitoring stations on Long Island found Riverhead, Holtsville, East Northport and Westbury exceeded the standard by one to two times; and Glen Cove was two to three times over.

In Connecticut, Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford also exceeded the standard by one to two times.

But experts said these measurements are lower than expected. The WHO actually changed their standard last year from 10 micrograms to 5, citing a need to better protect public health.

Only one station in the Northeast met the WHO’s guidelines.

Copyright 2022 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

Sabrina Garone

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.