CLEVELAND — Two years ago the city of Cleveland received a $500,000 grant to get 30 air monitoring stations to place in neighborhoods around the county. Their target, neighborhoods where air pollution was having a negative effect on health.
"Something that people should know is that nationwide pediatric asthma rates are approximately 8%. But in many of our Cleveland area neighborhoods, pediatric asthma rates can be up to three times the national rate. So you have some communities where 24% of kids in those neighborhoods have asthma," said Yvette Mitchell, Certified Residential Indoor Environmentalist, Cleveland Division of Air Quality in the Cleveland Department of Public Health.
They're looking for citizen input to help decide where the rest of the monitors should go. The project is called Clean in CLE for Community Leveraged Expanded Air Network in Cleveland. They're holding bi-monthly meetings to discuss progress with citizens and ask for input. The next two meetings are set for June.
There are many factors that contribute to air pollution. Transportation is about 35%, the rest is stationary resources. Of which, the city regulates 6,500 facilities.
For more information on the project and how to get involved, click HERE