American cities are drowning in toxic air, prompting calls for half a million people to stay home.
Large numbers of Americans face significant health risks after deadly toxins were discovered in high concentrations in the air, and authorities have urgently called on residents of contaminated areas to take necessary measures, including staying indoors and keeping windows closed. More than half a million Americans received warnings from local authorities asking them to stay indoors and keep their windows tightly closed, after toxins were discovered spreading in the air and considered dangerous to human health. The British newspaper, the Daily Mail, quoted the US Environmental Protection Agency as saying that large areas covered with severely polluted air were detected in the states of Arizona, California and Oregon, including hotspots showing high levels of dangerous toxins known as fine particulate matter or (PM2.5). The report said these particles are microscopic particles of toxic compounds or heavy metals, often produced by factories and car exhaust, and are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation, breathing difficulties and other health problems when inhaled. The worst outbreaks were detected in several major Arizona cities, including Gilbert and Chandler, which together have a population of more than 580,000. The Environmental Protection Agency warned last week that air quality levels in the two cities had reached "hazardous," its worst rating in air quality measurements. Both cities are located less than 20 miles east of Phoenix, a metropolitan area with a population of over 1.6 million. The air quality monitoring website IQAir indicated that levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) east of Gilbert and Chandler exceeded the safe limits recommended by the World Health Organization by more than 15 times. The website also reported that wind patterns are pushing this air pollution northward, spreading dust and sand across the neighboring city of Scottsdale, home to a quarter of a million Americans. When air pollution reaches this level, health officials urge all residents in affected areas to close their windows to avoid the polluted air, avoid outdoor exercise, wear a mask when leaving home, and use an air purifier if available. Another large cloud of hazardous toxins was also spotted over Eugene, Oregon's largest city, with a population of over 170,000. Live tracking data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned that severe air pollution was concentrated over the city center and spreading westward toward the Pacific Ocean, reaching areas more than 40 miles away. In California, a potentially dangerous dust storm sweeping across the U.S.-Mexico border has caused "extremely unsanitary" conditions in the Southern California city of El Centro, which has a population of over 40,000. The Air Quality Index (IQAir) registered a level of 225, the worst level recorded in any other major city monitored around the world on March 30. Air pollution along the southern border of the United States was also full of PM10 particles, a type of particulate matter consisting of fine solid particles or liquid droplets floating in the air, with a diameter of less than 10 micrometers, thinner than a human hair. These inhalable particles can penetrate deep into the lungs when inhaled, and are typically produced by construction dust, pollen, mold, smoke, industrial emissions, and windborne dust - such as the dust and sandstorms that sweep across the United States.
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