Calay News
When high temperatures combine with air pollution in Houston, Erandi Trevio experiences the effects on her nose and skin. This combination generates “ground-level ozone,” which is detrimental to her health. The heat wave affecting the southern United States has lasted for two weeks, with temperatures exceeding 40 °C.In Houston, a city located in Texas, four refineries operate, including one of the largest in the country.
According to Porfirio Villarreal, a spokesman for the Houston Health Department, in previous years, heat emergencies used to last only a few days, but this year has been different. Since June 14, they have experienced extreme heat for more than a week, with heat indexes above 108 oF (42 oC). According to Villarreal, between 4 and 10 people die annually in Houston due to illnesses related to excessive heat.
Erandi Trevio, 31, is director of the Coalition of Communities for a Healthy Port in Houston and lives near a cargo truck parking lot whose exhaust emissions enter her home and yard.The navigable channel of the Port of Houston, which is less than 10 kilometers from her home, is home to significant industrial and petrochemical activity. The combination of heat and pollution has affected her health, as she is particularly sensitive to “ground-level ozone.” She describes burning eyes and irritation of the nasal passages as common symptoms.
Tropospheric ozone, generated by chemical reactions between pollutants emitted by automobiles, power plants, and other sources, is harmful to human health. It forms in the presence of sunlight and usually reaches harmful levels on hot, sunny days in urban areas. Erandi insists on the need to place air quality meters closer to industries to properly monitor pollution levels.
According to the American Lung Association, nearly 120 million Americans live in areas with harmful levels of ozone or particulate pollution, putting their health at risk. The most vulnerable are the African-American and Latino communities that reside in areas affected by pollution. Exposure to ozone and other pollutants can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases.
In summary, the combination of high temperatures and pollution in Houston is generating high levels of ground-level ozone, which is detrimental to the health of the population. The communities most affected are African American and Latino communities, which already face disproportionate pollution impacts. It is crucial to take measures to control and reduce pollution and protect the health of vulnerable people in these areas.
