by Amanda Ebersole
The Problem
Nobody likes a failing grade. This past April, Lancaster County residents saw an “F” on their report card from the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report. Lancaster’s poor air quality isn’t a new problem. It has been declining for decades. What is surprising is its continued ascent to the top of the “worst” lists.
There are many pieces to the air quality puzzle, but Lancaster seems to only have problems with two pieces: ground level ozone pollution (smog) and particle pollution, short-term particulate matter specifically. Consequentially, Lancaster has ranked as the 22nd worst in the nation rejoining the list of the nation’s 25 worst, and has ranked second in the Mid-Atlantic region.
One of Lancaster’s claim-to-fames is that, in 2022, the US News & World Report ranked this region as best places to retire. It is difficult to imagine that a place consistently ranking high in affordability, quality of life, healthcare, and climate can also be home to a failing grade for air quality.
So where is all this pollution coming from? In a nutshell, everywhere. Teams of horses churning up dust with plows on farms, tractors spraying manure, vehicles idling in traffic on major routes and in the city, smoke escaping chimneys from wood-burning homes, and power plant emissions silently carried along the breeze, LNP.
Some causes, like the Canadian wildfire smoke, are completely out of anyone’s control. For several days this summer, with the skies over Lancaster County covered in haze, the smoke proved dangerous enough to prompt Code Orange air quality alerts.
It appears that Lancaster’s identity as a farming community is most likely to blame for the poor air quality since the largest issue is short-term particulate matter. Particulate matter is the term for “a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air,” as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Particulate matter is categorized based on its size, with some being large enough to see with your eyes and some microscopic. Farming directly releases particulate matter into the air by actions such as churning up soil and spraying fertilizers and chemicals.
Vehicles, whether operated by farms or not, also contribute to pollution by releasing chemicals into the air that undergo complex reactions and leave particulate matter hanging in the air.
Who is most impacted?
The World Health Organization that “Exposure to high levels of particulate matter…can lead to reduced lung function, respiratory infections and aggravated asthma from short-term exposure. Whereas long-term or chronic exposure to fine particulate matter increases a person’s risk for diseases with a longer onset, like some noncommunicable diseases including stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.”
These matters become even more serious for babies, young children, and the elderly. If left unchecked, it is possible that Lancaster County residents will continue to be at greater risk for these respiratory related illnesses.
Is there a remedy?
One of the largest environmental organizations is beginning to tackle this air quality problem by starting with the basics: gathering more data.
The Sierra Club formed a Lancaster group in 2008 which has launched a PurpleAir initiative to boost research. The project consists of ten PurpleAir air quality sensors that are being monitored by the group’s members. PurpleAir manufactures and operates air quality monitors that produce “hyper-local, real-time, air quality data” that is publicly shared, website. The sensors are distributed across the counties and their intention is to create a local map with the air quality data.
This new data map would be invaluable to understanding Lancaster’s diversity in air quality pollution, since this region encompasses urban, suburban, and farmland spaces.
Currently, Sierra Club, there are only two government-regulated sensors in Lancaster County, which could explain some gaps in our current data.
Looking to the Future
It is important to consider that the current administration is heading towards environmental deregulation. There is a push to roll back regulations for emissions standards, pollution levels, and monitoring of air quality. These actions, if successful, will only impact public health in a negative way.
While we can’t simply reduce the number of vehicles on the road, there are steps we can take to create a cleaner air environment such as planting trees and other air-purifying plants; reducing the burning of wood, yard waste, and garbage; and reducing chemical usage in and around the home.
Focusing on these smaller steps while supporting local green energy projects and local sustainable agriculture are great ways to do your part to improve the air quality, regardless of the larger political landscape.
Amanda Ebersole is a long-time resident of Lancaster County. With an educational background in Sustainable Management, she desires to continue supporting climate solutions, especially at a local level. Amanda writes with the hopes of increasing community engagement in environmental issues by bringing information to readers in an accessible way.
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