Bad air quality in Salt Lake City worsens breathing problems

http://fox13now.com/2013/01/08/bad-air-quality-worsens-breathing-problems/

January 8, 2013, by David Wells

SALT LAKE CITY — Logan, Provo and Salt Lake have some of the worst air quality in the country, according to Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality.

At one point Tuesday, pollution levels in the Salt Lake valley were worse than in Beijing, a city notorious for having some of the world’s worst air pollution.

As a blanket of pollution rested over Riverdale, Jessica Samora rattled off some of her symptoms.

“It’s like breathing through a straw, wheezing, shortness of breath,” said Samora.

Samora suffers from asthma and after a week-long inversion, she finds herself using her inhaler twice as much.

“Just going outside for 5 minutes and coming back in, I have to use my inhaler right afterwards,” she said.

Her 4 year-old daughter Emma is affected too.

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Doctors at St. Mark’s Hospital say they’re seeing an increase in patients complaining of respiratory problems.

“There is a correlation between poor air quality and increased urgent care visitors and the longer we have a bad spell, the more it will require, for some, urgent medical attention,” said Dr. Peter DeWeerd.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/23/salt-lake-city-air-pollution_n_2534949.html

AP | By By PAUL FOY Posted: 01/23/2013

A group of Utah doctors is declaring a health emergency over the Salt Lake City area's lingering air pollution problem.

Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment planned to deliver a petition Wednesday demanding immediate action by elected officials.

The group wants Gov. Gary Herbert and mayors of northern Utah cities to cut the pollution.

The doctors suggest lowering highway speed limits, making mass transit free for the winter and curbing industrial activities. They want a permanent ban on wood-burning. And they want large employers to let people work from home.

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