This Month's Topics:

• Public & Stakeholder Participation Information
• Black Carbon – More than just Soot; it’s a Health Risk
• A Picture of Air Pollution
• Helpful Links
• Dates to Remember
• AQI Alerts for Respiratory Health
• Connect with us at Air Mail!

Public & Stakeholder Participation Information:

• Climate Justice Working Group – Established under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), the working group is tasked with co-pollutant reductions, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regulatory impact statements, and the allocation of investments pursuant to the CLCPA. The working group will hold a virtual informational meeting on October 19, 2021 at 12:00 PM. 
• Proposed Part 218: Emission Standards for Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Engines – A public comment hearing will be held via electronic webinar on Tuesday November 9, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Written statements must be submitted to DEC by 5:00 p.m. on November 17, 2021.
• Adopted Policy DAR-11: Electronic Reporting for Air Facilities – This policy was adopted on September 7, 2021.
• Various NYS projects in the Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB).

Air Mail! is the publication to announce public and stakeholder information about air quality topics. All NYS residents are environmental stakeholders – we welcome anyone to join the information sessions and other opportunities posted here.

Black Carbon: More than just Soot, it’s a Health Risk

Burning fuel, like wood and gasoline, happens around the world every day. Most of the time, we burn fuels to make heat or power engines. Sometimes the burning happens by accident, as in the case of wildfires. Most of the time, the process of burning fuels creates emissions in the form of visible smoke. Black carbon is a significant component of fine particulate matter pollution and a key ingredient in “soot.” It’s a solid form of carbon that can be over 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. These tiny carbon particles can travel deep inside the body through the lungs and into our blood, causing arrhythmias, changes in blood pressure, trigger asthma attacks and premature death in people with preexisting heart or lung diseases. Fine particulate matter is also a major contributor to climate change; second only to carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Black carbon is produced by burning fossil fuels and organic matter (trees and plants). A study in New York found that the amount of black carbon present in the atmosphere can vary widely with time and location. The amount of black carbon that people inhale at a specific time and place depends on what is happening around them.

Overall, black carbon pollution has dramatically decreased since its peak. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries in America, many homes and large factories burned bituminous coal which released large amounts of billowing black smoke containing lots of black carbon. During this era, there was so much air pollution that modern-day researchers can study past pollution loads by looking at the soot-covered feathers of preserved birds in museum collections. Until the mid-20th century, researchers found that soot pollution was directly tied to the amount of coal burned. After that, pollution began decreasing despite the increased use of coal. The researchers suggest this is likely due to the adoption of regulations that restricted the use of soft coal and encouraged using alternative fuels, such as petroleum and natural gas. The decrease in black carbon pollution that started with those regulations continues to this day.

Even now, fine particulate matter and black carbon pollution remain a potential health risk. Limit your contribution to black carbon pollution by carpooling more often, lowering your use of diesel engines, and following NYS open burning regulations. You can save money, reduce wildfire risk, and keep our air clean and easy to breathe.

Photo Caption: Environmental Conservation Officers stopped this diesel truck to inspect its emissions control devices, which were not functioning properly. DEC regulates vehicles, industries, and outdoor fires to reduce air pollution and safeguard public health and our environment.

A Picture of Air Pollution

Exposure to light typically gets most of the blame for fading photographs. However, air pollution can sometimes be an even bigger cause. The inks, pigments, and metals used in photography can chemically react with air pollutants and degrade images, even in the absence of sunlight. This is not a big problem in modern cases since the process is slow and the original digital photograph can just be reprinted. However, it's not that simple when it comes to historic photographs with only one original copy. Protection from air pollution is something that needs to be considered to preserve them.

Ozone is one of the most damaging pollutants to photographs. Ozone is made by a photochemical reaction between nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), both of which can be released by burning fossil fuels. Ozone is a highly reactive gas that can interact with and damage many different substances, including those used in a wide variety of print types. For example, “gelatin silver” prints (most 20th-century black-and-white photographs) degrade in a way known as “silver mirroring.” The silver in the images can react with ozone, and other pollutants, causing a sheen to develop on the surface of the image. Nitrogen oxides, and even indoor fumes from solvents and paint, can have the same effect. On the other hand, dry deposition of acids can make the paper more brittle and cause other types of prints to fade in different ways.

The effect of pollution on photographs is cumulative, so even low concentrations can be damaging if exposure is long-term. Warm and humid conditions also worsen this process by speeding up the chemical reactions at the root of the degradation. The Library of Congress (LOC) recommends storing photographs in an area with humidity and temperatures as low as possible for this reason. The LOC also suggests filtering incoming air, ensuring good air circulation, and avoiding drafts of unfiltered air from outside. Storing photographs in airtight sleeves or boxes can also help. While this advice may be most important for institutions with historical collections, it also applies to anyone with old family pictures or modern inkjet prints they plan on preserving for a long time. In addition to protecting your photographs, learn what you can do to limit air pollution. Follow NYS open burning regulations and avoid products with unhealthy fumes to help protect your health and your photographs.

Photo Caption: A 100+ year old gelatin silver print, seen in two different angles of light, displaying silver mirroring.

Helpful Links:

• DECinfo Locator – An interactive map that lets you access DEC documents and public data about the environmental quality of specific sites in NYS as well as outdoor recreation information.
• DEC Delivers – Stay in-the-know by subscribing to the environmental topics that interest you. We will send you information, updates, and e-newsletters on the topics of your choosing. As an Air Mail! subscriber, you may be interested in subscribing to the Air Quality Alert topic so you know when air quality levels are a concern in your area.
• AQI Forecasts – Check the daily ozone and particulate matter pollution forecast for your area of NYS.
• NYSDEC YouTube – Keep up with what's going on with DEC staff by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Watch video clips of DEC public protection in action, learn about the Hudson River, or watch the latest episode of "On the Front Lines," DEC's video series.
• Conservationist – NYS’ premiere outdoor magazine--bringing nature to your door! Published six times a year, Conservationist is a NYS-focused magazine that is packed with informative and entertaining articles, first-rate photography, and stunning artwork. Articles cover a broad range of environmental and natural history related topics. Subscribe today to get a piece of the outdoors in your mailbox.

Dates to Remember:

• Second Tuesday of the Month: Sustainability Lunchtime Learning Webinars – A monthly series covering numerous topics of interest, such as sustainable floor coverings, creating a backyard vegetable garden, and going paperless in your life. Pre-registration is required.
• Through October: Fall Foliage Report – Before you head out on your leaf-peeping adventure, check out the fall color report from I Love New York. The Adirondack and Catskill mountains are breathtaking this time of year. Remember to be safe and respectful when hitting the trails, too.
• October 31: Halloween – Consider keeping your trick-or-treating local by walking house to house or to outdoor fall celebrations. You will help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our air clean.
• November 2: Election Day – Get out and vote while keeping our environment in mind.
• December 5: World Soil Day – Soil plays a big role in air quality by filtering chemicals before reaching our air.
• November 15: New York Recycles Day – Participate in this year’s celebration by buying recycled content items and gifts for your holiday and birthday celebrations. Choose to reuse and recycle in your daily life, and educate others on the benefits to our air, land, and water.
• November 16: The National Environmental Education Act was signed in 1990 – Pass along a love of nature to the next generation by teaching children about our environment too. Don’t know where to start? Check out the Conservationist for Kids magazine for some ideas.
• November 25: Thanksgiving – Compost your food waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.

Stay Informed about Your Air Quality

NYS' ozone season runs from April through September. DEC publishes ground-level ozone forecasts during ozone season and particulate matter pollution forecasts year-round using a scale called the Air Quality Index (AQI). DEC sends out an air quality alert when there is a high AQI value, which indicates polluted air. Individuals with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, and people who exercise outdoors should take caution during an air quality alert. Find out if an Air Quality Alert is in effect by calling the toll-free Ozone Hotline: 1-800-535-1345.

The AQI can be accessed in three ways:

• Check the daily ozone and particulate matter pollution forecast.
• Find an Air Quality Monitor near you.
• Sign up to receive Air Quality Alerts for NYS via email.

Connect with us at Air Mail!

Did you enjoy reading this issue? Perhaps your friends and family would too. Share Air Mail! by using the “Share” button below. If you would like to receive Air Mail! in your own email box, sign up now!

We would also like to know what you think. Send your Air Mail! questions and comments to the team at DAR.web@dec.ny.gov.