The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50562

Roe Ann Roberts, PhD MPH, Health and Public Administration Programs, Midwestern State University, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX 76308, (940) 397-4752, roeanna@rocketmail.com

This study examines an agricultural region where widespread field burning occurs, estimates the levels of particulates (PM) that are produced during burns, reviews two asthma deaths that have been attributed to field smoke, and presents recent research on the impact of fine combustion particulates on health. The author concludes that the EPA's new PM2.5 standard fails to protect the public's health from the 'unacceptable risks' arising from the burning of 9 million acres of U.S. agricultural land each year. Unfortunately, a number of historical, political and economic factors make it difficult for local and federal agencies to enforce tighter air quality standards. In 1996 the USDOA convened the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. In 1999, the Task Force produced a document that promotes "the valid use of fire as a management tool in support of agricultural production" and recommends "the EPA … use its discretion not to designate an area as non-attainment for particulate matter when fires … attributable to agricultural burning contribute to violations of the (PM) NAAQS…". At present there appear to be only two administrative solutions to the high levels of PM2.5 produced by agricultural burning. The EPA could lower PM standards and create shorter measurement periods for field burns. Local administrators could institute tougher PM2.5 standards; shorter time intervals for PM2.5 averaging; work cooperatively to develop regional standards; and enforce more stringent regulation of all PM2.5 sources. If neither approach is forthcoming, the ADA or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act might lead to a legal solution.

Learning Objectives:

• Be able to articulate how widespread field burning is in the Pacific Northwest and in the U.S.
• Learn the reasons for the use of field burning as an agricultural tool.
• Become aware of the major toxins present in grass and cereal grain smoke.
• Translate PM10 levels produced by combustion to PM2.5 levels.
• Define the health effects of PM2.5 as stated in the current research literature.
• Analyze the impacts on morbidity and mortality of field smoke on one region of the PNW.
• Discuss administrative options and legal attempts to control field burning in the PNW.

Keywords: Air Quality, Rural Communities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.