Several days this summer, St. Louis has experienced hazy skies clouded by wildfire smoke from Canada. At times, the Air Quality Index was so poor that people were advised to stay indoors.
Recent poor air quality in St. Louis is the result of wildfires up north and meteorology, according to Jack Fishman, professor of meteorology and director of the Center for Environmental Sciences at St. Louis University.
“When we had the right meteorological conditions here in St. Louis, [during] what we often refer to as the ‘dog days of summer,’ we're trapping pollutants near the ground,” Fishman said. “No more so than in other areas of the country, but we feel it here in St. Louis — especially with the very high humidity that we have.”
He joined St. Louis on the Air to talk about what the data says about how St. Louis’ air quality has changed over time.
Kelly Harris, an assistant professor of occupational therapy and surgery in public health sciences at Washington University, and Leah Clyburn, an advocate for environmental justice with the Missouri Sierra Club chapter, joined the discussion to talk about the history of environmental injustice in St. Louis.
“St. Louis, according to the [2018] St. Louis Equity Indicators Report, scores as one of the worst areas in our country in regards to air pollution and asthma rates with our children,” Clyburn said. “Our children deserve better. We deserve better.”
Clyburn cited a 2019 study from the University of Washington in Seattle that showed white Americans experience 17% less pollution than they generate. “And unfortunately, where does that pollution fall? It falls on the backs — or the lungs, if you will — of Black and Hispanic populations at the percentage rate of 56% more pollution for African Americans and 63% more for Latinos.”
During the discussion, Clyburn and Harris also highlighted solutions that can be achieved both on an individual and systemic level.
Harris, whose 2019 study showed that more than a dozen north St. Louis neighborhoods have high rates of childhood asthma, said that the Asthma and Allergy Foundation provides resources directly to families — things like medication and bedding covers that help mitigate asthma triggers in the home. St. Louis Children's Hospital’s Healthy Kids Express buses a team of asthma experts to underserved area schools via a mobile care center.
“On an individual level, it's about taking care of our health, really being mindful, being aware of air quality outside and just thinking about how we're engaging in that and making sure that we're protecting ourselves, protecting our kids, advocating for our families,” Harris said.
While there are organizations seeking to help families living with asthma in St. Louis, both Harris and Clyburn said investments to improve air quality need to be made at a regional level.
“We have to vote people in [Jefferson] City that are aligned with the care for all people, and not just for a few, in order to better hold our Department of Natural Resources accountable — to hold these agencies accountable for better care for the Earth,” Clyburn said.
To learn more about the connection between public health and air quality and what needs to be done today to better health outcomes in the future, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast or Stitcher or by clicking the play button below.
Related Event
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is proposing revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan: St. Louis Moderate Nonattainment Area Plan for the 2015 Ozone Standard. The department will hold a public hearing during a Missouri Air Conservation Commission meeting, and it invites the public to review and offer written comments on the plan until Aug. 2.
What: Missouri Air Conservation Commission meeting
When: 9 a.m. July 27
Where: East Elm Street Conference Center, Bennett Springs Conference Room, 1730 E. Elm St. Jefferson City, MO 65101
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Ulaa Kuziez is our production intern. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
