By ALESHA CAPONE
BROOKLYN residents are still breathing in high rates of toxic dust, according to the state Environment Protection Authority.
The EPA has released data showing Brooklyn experienced 21 days when PM10 dust levels in the air were higher than the recommended safety amount, from July 2012 to January this year.
The EPA recommends people should only be exposed to five days per year when PM10 levels are high.
‘PM10’ refers to particles which measure 10 micrometres or less and can cause medical problems if people are consistently exposed to them, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Last Wednesday, the EPA’s 24-hour air-monitoring station in Brooklyn recorded the level of PM10 particles at 129 out of 150 – a rating of ‘poor’.
The EPA advises people to stay indoors, avoid using air-conditioning and not open windows on high PM10 days.
High PM10 days are caused by a combination of factors including hot, windy weather, industry output and dust from roads.
Bert Boere, from the Brooklyn Residents Action Group (BRAG), said Brooklyn’s dust problem peaked during 2010, when more than 40 high PM10 days were recorded.
“At the EPA meeting this year, the graph was climbing as fast as it did during that bad year,” he said.
“Whether or not we will top it our and meet that bad year remains to be seen, but it’s certainly looking like it.
“I think residents probably feel frustrated because it’s going up again.
“We know the EPA is doing the best they can but we’ve had a really hot year.”
Mr Boere said councils in the West, the State Government and Federal Government needed to work together to address Brooklyn’s problems.
In the past few months, the EPA said they had “undertaken 125 inspections of the Brooklyn industrial precinct to investigate potential non-compliant industries”.
