Air Quality in Indiana has Significantly Improved Following Smoke-Free Air Laws

Two years after a statewide smoke free law went into effect, a new study reveals workers in Indiana restaurants are breathing easier. The decline in fine particles in the air proved dramatic, with an 85 percent drop in pollutants. Particles released from burning cigarettes can be easily inhaled into the lungs and cause severe cardiovascular and respiratory problems.

University of Southern Indiana Professor Mark Krahling conducted the study in 33 bars and restaurants throughout the state, before and after the statewide smoke-free air ban was implemented. In Indiana hospitality venues that allowed smoking before the law, the average level of indoor air pollution in Indiana was 64 micrograms per cubic meter. The post-law level was measured at 11 micrograms per cubic meter. The shift indicates a substantial change in ensuring the safety and protection of Indiana workers.

"What we see in this study is that, before the law, restaurant and bar workers in Indiana were exposed to harmful levels of secondhand smoke," said Dr. Mark Krahling, professor at the University of Southern Indiana and co-author of the study in an interview with the Salem Leader. "With the enactment of the statewide law, air quality has significantly improved in the venues that are now smoke-free, which will protect the health of both workers and patrons. However, bar workers remain unprotected from secondhand smoke."

Educating Youth in Sustainability, Key for Progress

Teaching children to preserve the future is at the heart of this year’s Living Lightly Fair in Muncie, IN. Organizers have deemed “Educators for Sustainability” theme for this year’s fair at Minnetrista Park.  The fair, open to the public and free, will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.

As a former teacher, fair co-founder Annette Rose emphasizes the importance of advancing environmental education in schools and capturing the energy of youth in advancing sustainable practices.

“When you’re young, you can see a clear path and a vision and pursue it with energy,” Rose said. “That’s an exciting prospect in the pursuit of sustainability.”

The call for addressing sustainability issues amongst a new generation is heightened on the heels of a new Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) study in Northwest Indiana that found extensive “environmental injustices” in Northwest Indiana.

The report indicates residents in Gary, East Chicago and Hammond live amongst the highest concentration of heavy industrial activity in the state.

"These environmental and public health issues compound the social and economic problems faced by the residents of these mostly-minority populated cities," said Kim Ferraro, HEC senior attorney and co-author of the report in an interview with the Northwest Indiana Times. "These communities collectively provide an especially powerful example of a nationwide problem in which poverty begets pollution and pollution begets poverty."

According to the HEC, those surveyed in the region identified living with at least three environmental hazards in their community, including air pollution, sewage overflows and garbage dumps.  Only one in five surveyed had success in trying to address environmental threats.

Air Quality in Indiana - A Cause Worth Attention

Across Indiana, businesses and community groups are partnering to address the need for improved air quality in the Hoosier state. This growing coalition of committed volunteers is working to reduce ozone, PM 2.5 and other harmful pollutants contaminating the air.

Their work, in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), is making a real impact in the air quality of our Hoosier state through Air Quality Action Plans and a comprehensive strategy for public outreach. In April, IDEM released a 300-page report on the issue that demonstrates the considerable progress in our air quality across the nation over the past ten years, reducing ozone and fine particles in the air.

In light of these initiatives and reports, this blog aims to report on the issue and communities and businesses’ efforts to improve air quality in Indiana, while allowing the environmentally sound operations of industrial, agricultural, commercial and governmental activities vital to our state’s prosperous economy.

This blog will take special interest in reporting on the intersection of the promotion of healthy air quality with that of legislation and standards set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Check in regularly for updates as I shed light on the issue and its impact in Indiana.