Multiple School Districts In West PA Have "Off The Charts" Asthma Rates Among Students - Up To 37.6%

[hatrack]

PITTSBURGH -- Asthma in school-age children has never been higher. The national and state average is 11 percent and climbing. A Team 4 investigation discovers several school districts in western Pennsylvania that are far higher than the average.

Team 4's Jim Parsons reported the school district that's been yelling the loudest about its high asthma rate is South Allegheny, where the air quality has tested among the worst in the nation for particle pollution. Team 4's investigation found other school districts that have higher numbers of kids with asthma and one that is simply off the charts.

In the most recent numbers from the state Health Department, Baldwin-Whitehall School District reported 15 percent of students with asthma. Steel Valley schools reported 16.5 percent, South Allegheny reported 17.6 percent and Sto-Rox schools reported 18 percent of students with asthma.

At Propel Charter School in Homestead, the asthma rate was above 20 percent. The school district that's the biggest loser with asthma, for two school years in a row, is Northgate, located along Ohio River Boulevard in Avalon and Bellevue. The most recent numbers here put the asthma rate at 37.6 percent of all students. "That's a public health emergency," said Myron Arnowitt, Pennsylvania state director of Clean Water Action. "I've studied this issue. I've read the scientific literature on asthma. Numbers over 30 percent are off-the-charts high."

EDIT

http://www.wtae.com/r/28610919/detail.html

[Altoid_Cyclist]

1. The Marcellus Shale "development" taking place certainly isn't going to help.

We really do need the regulatory agencies funding and staffs cut now don't we. :sarcasm:

[felix_numinous]

2. K&R

I remember coming across an article that briefly appeared (then seemed to disappear quickly) about hexavalent chromium in Bethesda MD water, originating from the Patomac Watershed. This is the carcinogen Erin Brokovich made famous, and it is a product of coal mining. I read that the Delaware River and Patomac watershed had been compromised.

The Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers run North into Western Philadelphia, and have been also been shown to contain by products from WV Appalachian coal mining, including hexavalent chromium.

http://pa.water.usgs.gov/projects/energy/amd/almn_nawqa.php --said this study ended in 2000?

http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/12222010/montnew185523_32556.php -Bethesda hexavalent chromium article

http://www.livestrong.com/article/315080-side-effects-of-hexavalent-chromium/ -Side effects of hexavalent chromium--includes asthma

This is an excellent link about PA and coal--scroll down to see that PA is 2nd highest in air pollution, information about fracking and coal mining chemicals:

ttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pennsylvania_and_coal

The more we examine the air and water quality, a sharp increase in asthma starts to make sense. :-( (I am not claiming to have come to any conclusion-- just providing information.)

Thank you for posting this, and keeping up with environmental issues Hatrack :hi:

[felix_numinous]

3. RFK Jr. interview on 'The Last Mountain'

Video for this thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fyOwCsHHcQ

[felix_numinous]

4. DU thread by diverdan

Number of Marcellus Wells Could Triple by 2020, Report Says

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4928579#4928599