Measure E1: Exceedances of Air Quality Standards

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• The highest number of exceedances is consistently reported for the eight-hour standard for ozone. In 1993, approximately 53 percent of children lived in counties in which the eight-hour ozone standard was exceeded on at least one day per year. In 2006, approximately 53 percent of children lived in such counties.
• In 1999, approximately 24 percent of children lived in counties that exceeded the annual PM-2.5 standard. In 2006, approximately 13 percent of children lived in such counties. (The standard is intended to protect against both short-term and long-term health effects and thus PM-2.5 is included in Measure E1.)
• In 1993, approximately 6.4 percent of children lived in counties in which the carbon monoxide standard was exceeded. In 2006, approximately 0.5 percent of children lived in such counties.
• Since 1993, on average, 1 percent of children lived in counties that exceeded the three-month standard for lead. In 2006, 1 county exceeded the three-month standard for lead.
• No exceedances of the sulfur dioxide standard or the nitrogen dioxide standard have been reported from 1993 to 2006. Consequently, those two standards were not included on the graph.

Related Measures:

• Respiratory Illnesses
• Drinking Water (lead)
• Lead in the Blood of Children
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Lead in California Schools

Healthy People 2010:

Objective 8-01 of Healthy People 2010 aims to reduce the proportion of persons exposed to air that exceeds the levels of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health-based standards for harmful air pollutants.