Publication: LA Times

UCLA Expert: Suzanne Paulson: Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences; Director, Center for Clean Air; Member, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Synopsis:  Declaring that current standards are no longer sufficient to protect public health, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed strengthening federal rules for one of the world’s most dangerous and pervasive types of air pollution — fine particulate matter. Researchers from UCLA recently found that these areas of high particulate concentration also have higher levels of toxic particles as well.

UCLA News: “We found that the locations that are really close to freeways have the highest toxicity levels in general, which is maybe not terribly surprising,” said Paulson, the senior author of the study. The researchers also found that fine particles from wear and tear on vehicle tires and brakes appear to be a significant and growing source of particulate pollution, as evidenced by the increasing concentration of copper and iron. The California Air Resources Board, which funded the UCLA study, estimates brake and tire emissions have already eclipsed vehicle exhaust in the L.A. area in recent years.

Read more at LA Times.