Colorado deals with air pollution in sensitive districts, regulating 5 air toxins

Globeville, Elyria-Svansea and Commerce City Communities at Metro Denver are barked air pollution from nearby highways, oil refinery and oil refinery and refinery Superfund site.

While these districts have He suffered for a long time for air pollutionThey are not the only ones in Colorado.

Now Colorado takes a large step to protect people against air pollution, which cause cancer or other earnest health problems, called “air toxins”. The state is developing its own for the first time State standards of toxic health at the level.

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In January 2025, Colorado identified five air toxics as “priority” chemicals: benzene, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, chromium hexawalent and hydrogen sulfur.

The condition is in the process of determining health standards that reduce the amount of each chemical allowed in the air. Importantly, the standards will be designed to protect people exposed to chemicals in a long -term perspective, such as people living near emission sources. Exposure to equal low amounts of some chemicalssuch as benzene, can lead to cancer.

As a researcher Chemical exposure and healthI measure and assess the impact of air pollution on people’s well -being.

The novel Colorado regulations will benefit from expert knowledge and community contribution to protect human health.

Communities know what requires regulation

Is there a highway in your community that runs near your home or a bad smell factory? Maybe a gas station just around the corner? You probably already know many places that release air pollution nearby.

When state or local regulatory authorities cooperate with community members to find out what sources of air pollution are worried about the community, the partnership can lead to a system that better serves society and reduces injustice.

For example, partnerships between community supporters, scientists and regulatory bodies in highly polluted and marginalized Districts in New York and Boston They had great benefits. These partnerships resulted in both better scientific knowledge about how air pollution is associated with asthma and placing air monitors in districts.

In Colorado, the selection process of five priority aerial toxics included consultations with many interested parties. The technical working group provided the input data, on which five chemicals should be treated priority 477 Toxic air pollution.

The working group includes scientists, members of non -governmental organizations such as Environmental Defense Fund – local government and regulated industries such as American Petroleum Institute.

There were also opportunities to participate in the community during public meetings.

On public interrogations, social groups, such as greenlatinos, argued that formaldehyde, instead of acrolein, should be one of the priority aviation toxics, because maybe this cause cancer.

In addition, the formaldehyde is broadcast in some Colorado communities, which are mainly colorful people, in accordance with Proponents of these communities. These communities are already disproportionately affected High respiratory rates AND cancer.

Other community members also burdened.

“One of my patients is a 16-year-old boy who tried to find summer work outside, but he had to quit, because air pollution meant that his asthma was so bad that he could barely breathe,” wrote Logan Harper, a family doctor in Denver and a defender and lawyer for people Healthy air and water in Colorado.

How is air quality protected?

At the national level, Clean air Act It requires that six common air pollution, such as ozone and carbon monoxide, be maintained below certain levels. The Act also regulates 188 dangerous air pollution.

Individual countries can freely develop their own regulations, and several, including California AND MinnesotaI already have. States can set more protective standards for health than those in the country.

Four out of five priority chemicals by Colorado are federally regulated. Fifth chemicals, hydrogen sulfide, is not covered by the American Environmental Protection Agency A dangerous list of air pollutionBut Colorado decided to regulate him as toxic.

The regulation at the state level is crucial because states can focus on air toxins specific to their condition to make sure that the communities most vulnerable to air pollution are protected. One way is to place air pollution monitors in communities experiencing the worst air pollution.

For example, Colorado places Six new air quality monitors in locations around the state to measure the concentrations of five priority air toxics. It will also utilize the existing monitor in the Grand Junction to measure air toxic. Two of the novel monitors, located in Commerce City and La Salle, started operating in January 2024. will start monitoring the air Until July 2025

When Colorado chose the areas, it prioritized the communities that are influenced by social and environmental threats. To do this, officials used indexes such as Colorado Enviroscreenwhich combines information on pollution, health and economic factors to identify the community that They are too burdened with threats.

The monitor of the City of Commerce is located in Adams City, a neighborhood who has one of the worst pollutants in the state. The site has Toxic air emissions which are worse than 95% of the community in Colorado.

Air toxics and health

Five aerial toxics that Colorado chose has a negative impact on health. It is known that four cause cancer.

Benzene, perhaps best known because of his ability cause blood cancerThat’s one. But it also has many other health effects, including suppressing the immune system’s ability and Influence on the reproductive system by reducing the number of sperm. Benzene is exhaust And it is emitted during the production and improvement of oil and gas.

Ethylene oxide can cause cancer AND It irritates the nervous and respiratory system. Symptoms of long -term exhibition may include headaches, sore throat, shortness of breath and more. Ethylene oxide is used to sterilize medical equipment, and from 2024 it was used by four Objects in Colorado.

Formaldehyde is also Cancer causativeand the exhibition is related to Asthma in children. This toxic is used in Production of many products Like cleaning agents and building materials. Is also emitted by oil and gas sources, Including during fracturing.

Can cause hexagonal chrome compounds Several types of cancerand also Skin and lung diseases such as asthma and rhinitis. The main source of hexagonal chromium are coal -fired power plants, from which Colorado Currently it has six acting, although these plants are planned for closure Over the next five years. Other sources of chromium shall include Chemical production and others.

Finally, prolonged exposure to hydrogen sulfide can cause low blood pressure, headaches and a number of other symptoms, and it was so related to the neurological impact such as psychological disorders. Some sources of hydrogen sulfide include Oil and sewage treatment plants.

Read more of our stories about Colorado.