TagHealth(108)
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2022-01-01Environmental noise: compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment, 2022 update
★ 32A 2022 World Health Organization report on environmental noise outlines the health risks posed by traffic, aircraft, and leisure noise, including increased risk of heart disease, sleep disturbance, and hearing impairment. The report recommends that aircraft noise levels stay below 45 dB for average exposure and below 40 dB at night to protect public health. It also defines mitigation strategies ranging from reducing noise at the source to behavior change and community education. -
2020-01-01Air filters, pollution and student achievement
★A study by NYU economist Michael Gilraine found that installing air filters in classrooms led to a 0.20 standard deviation improvement in math and English test scores, using a natural experiment from the 2015-2016 Aliso Canyon gas leak in Los Angeles. The gas company installed air filters in all schools within five miles of the leak, allowing researchers to compare student achievement between schools that received filters and those that did not. The findings suggest that air filtration is a cost-effective way to boost student achievement by reducing exposure to common indoor air pollutants. -
2026-06-202026 SoilSHOP Series – Des Moines
By King Conservation District Midway CovenantDes Moines, WA Saturday, June 20 • 10 AM – 2 PM Overview Join us for free lead and arsenic soil testing at our SoilSHOP event at Midway Covenant in Des Moines! Puget Sound has a rich history of land and industry – but industrial practices from long ago may -
2026-05-28Formal Comment by Jeffrey Bogen: Seattle-Area Metroplex (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement — Health Effects of Aviation Noise: Deficiencies and Corrections
A Des Moines resident submitted a formal comment arguing that the Seattle-Area Metroplex Environmental Impact Statement (SAMP EIS) significantly underestimates the health risks of aviation noise by omitting key peer-reviewed studies linking aircraft noise to cardiovascular disease, heart structural changes, and sleep disruption. The commenter contends that the EIS relies on outdated and methodologically flawed research, particularly FICAN studies using extrapolated rather than measured data, while ignoring more recent findings from the WHO, the HYENA Project, and a 2025 cardiac MRI study. The comment calls on the FAA to conduct a proper cumulative health effects analysis and require additional noise mitigation measures beyond the current DNL 65 dB contour threshold. -
2026-05-28
Formal Comment by Jeffrey Bogen: Seattle-Area Metroplex (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement — Health Effects of Aviation Noise: Deficiencies and Corrections
Formal public comment filed 2026-05-28 by Jeffrey Bogen, Des Moines resident, on the Seattle-Area Metroplex (SAMP) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), challenging the No Significant Impact (NSI) finding on health effects of aviation noise. Bogen argues the SAMP EIS and ME Eagan Consulting report omit key peer-reviewed studies including the WHO Systematic Review Update (2022) on -
2026-05-18EPA to roll back PFAS limits for drinking water
The Trump administration on Monday proposed rolling back limits on “forever chemicals” that contaminate millions of Americans’ drinking water and have been linked to a range of health problems. The proposal would partially rescind the first national drinking water limits for the chemicals — also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — set -
2026-01-26South Korea tightens indoor air quality standards in public facilities
Legal updates in Korea Published : Jan. 26, 2026 – 13:28:59 Jung Min-kyung Updated Law: Enforcement Rule of the Indoor Air Quality Control Act What it does: Lowers allowable indoor ultrafine dust levels in public-use facilities Took effect: Jan. 1 South Korea has strengthened indoor air quality rules for public facilities in an effort to -
2025-12-02So you thought that Sea-Tac expansion was really underway?
Transportation By Mike Merritt December 3, 2025 The Port of Seattle has embarked on a much-needed, massive Seattle-Tacoma International Airport expansion. But the plan is far from taking off. The projects, including a new passenger terminal with 19 new aircraft gates, still must undergo another year of environmental review and win approval by the Port -
UWDEOHS air purifier in child’s bedroom
A Winix-brand air purifier (logo visible on unit) sits on a hardwood floor against a teal wall in a child's bedroom, connected to a small air quality monitor device. The room contains a white nightstand and bed with patterned bedding. -
2025-01-13Removing PFAS — Trading Forever Chemicals for a Safer Firefighting Foam
Drawhorn, Omie January 13, 2025 Each day Port of Seattle firefighters work to keep people and property safe. Because the Port of Seattle Fire Department (POSFD) is located at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), they protect aircraft, travelers, staff, and airport facilities. Now, in the midst of regular firefighting activities, POSFD is taking the lead on