How much air pollution is there in Harlem (NYC) and what are its primary causes?

Dear tornado2-ga,

According to the The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Harlem is a
area high pollution and has the highest level of hospitalizations from
asthma in the area.

The primary problem is air pollutants emitted by mobile sources (e.g.,
cars, trucks, and buses). Diesel is particularly a problem because of
the large number of bus depots and because the urban architecture
confinins the pollution to street level.

As to the levels of pollution, this is a very detailed examination of
the problem of pollution in Harlem (6 pages and far detailed to place
the results here).

"Airborne Concentrations of PM2.5 and Diesel Exhaust Particles on
Harlem Sidewalks: A Community-Based Pilot Study"
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2000/108p213-218kinney/108p213.pdf


This Harlem community web site has some useful articles on the
problem. The home page is
http://www.weact.org/programs/index.html
Map of Diesel Bus Pollution
http://www.weact.org/gis/metadata/map-06.html
Other articles
http://www.weact.org/pressadvisories/2003_Apr_23.html
http://www.weact.org/programs/cbhr/diesel.html


Pollution reveals itself in high levels of asthma. These are some
sources you find of interest.
http://www.alternet.org/story/17092.//
http://www.bw.lehigh.edu/story.asp?ID=17039
http://www.spelman.edu/bush-hewlett/environmentalpolicy/factsheets/harlemFS.html
http://allergies.about.com/cs/asthma/a/aa041803a.htm


Environmental Protection Agency?s: 2004 State of the Environment Report. 
Figures for New York and Asthma statistics for Harlem
http://www.epa.gov/region02/soer/cleanair.htm


I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder


"air pollution in harlem"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22air+pollution+in+harlem%22&hl=en&lr=&safe=off
diesel pollution harlem
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=diesel+pollution+harlem

---

Request for Answer Clarification by tornado2-ga on 04 Dec 2004 07:24 PST

Dear answerfinder-ga,

Thank you for taking the time to find all this information.  After
reading all the information on the links and the pdf report, I am
still unclear as to how much of each pollutant there is.  In the pdf
report they reveal levels of PM <2.5, and carbon concentrations CE,
but I did not see levels for other pollutants such as carbon monoxide,
ozone, and others in this or other sources.  Also, I was unclear as to
the proportion of air pollution due to different moble sources (how
much are cars an influence, as compared with trucks or buses), and
perhaps to other sources (incinerators, factories, refineries, utility
plants etc).

Your information makes a good case for the link between diesel
emissions (caused by buses) and asthma, which is very helpful.

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for all the
work you have done already.

---

Clarification of Answer by answerfinder-ga on 04 Dec 2004 09:31 PST

Dear tornado2-ga,
As a researcher, I sometimes I have to read ?in-between? the lines of
a question. I thought you alluding to the specific problems of diesel
and the asthma rates. Sorry about that. I have had to go a little
wider in my research as data on Harlem air pollution appears to come
under the New York City figures. I haven?t been able to identify
specific figures for Harlem.


National Resources Defense Council 
Risk of Top Carcinogens in Major Metropolitan Areas ? New York State
http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/cep/sny.asp

"New York County (Manhattan), one of the five counties within New York
City, has the highest risk in the state with air toxics levels 421
times EPA?s safe level. In Kings County (Brooklyn), also within New
York City, the levels of air toxics are 320 times EPA?s safe* level of
carcinogens in air."
It also has ?Risk factor and source of toxic air pollutants of concern
in New York County?
http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/cep/cnyc.asp

Carcinogens included in Nrcd?s Analysis
http://www.nrdc.org/air/pollution/cep/intro.asp#chart



The US Air Quality Gradebook web site

New York Air Pollution Sources broken down into counties
http://creativemethods.com/airquality/sources/new_york/

New York ? Manhattan by pollutant, source and source category.
http://creativemethods.com/airquality/sources/new_york/new_york_a.htm
http://creativemethods.com/airquality/sources/new_york/new_york_b.htm

The sources page has links to other sources
http://creativemethods.com/airquality/sources/index.htm


US Environmental Agency web site.
AirData web site which gives you access to air pollution data for the
entire United States
Drill down to your local area.
http://www.epa.gov/air/data/


I hope that this additional information will be of assistance.
Answerfinder-ga

Thank you for the follow-up information, it was very helpful!

Dear tornado2-ga,
Thank you for the tip. I'm glad that was able to eventually give you
the information you required.
answerfinder-ga

Dear answerfinder-ga,

I thought you might want to see the website I created with the
information you found.  It is a work in progress, so bear with me. 
Here it is:  http://www.mekambo.com/community/communityhealth.php

Thank you again for your help.

tornado2-ga,
Thank you for the link. It certainly is a problem which must be
addressed as soon as possible - for the health of all children, now,
and in the future.
answerfinder-ga