EPA Panel Links Smog To Premature Deaths in the U.S.

Boston (dbTechno) - According to a new report carried out for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, short-term exposure to smog or ozone has been linked to premature deaths in the U.S. The highest death rates were seen in the elderly and the ill.

The report was carried out by the National Research Council.

They found that with the current levels of smog, short-term exposure can prove deadly to some in the U.S.

Exposure to smog for 24 hours or less was linked to premature deaths, as the numbers continue to grow year by year.

More studies are going to be needed on long-term chronic exposure to see the major impact that has on people.

It may be larger than what has already been observed though.

The scientists were not able, however, to determine what a safe level of exposure was. This goes against what the White House has been arguing, as they state that no scientific link has been found to connect smog to premature death.

The EPA continues to push new emissions standards to try and cut down on levels of smog.