Dust Abatement and Asthma

Although, we usually think of asthma as a childhood disease and something we'll outgrow, many adults and us Boomer-age adults suffer from it—me for one. A study by the National Center for Environmental Health Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that almost 9% of the U.S. population between the ages of 54 and 64 suffers with asthma and 7.5% of adults over the age of 64 have it. I believe this number is higher. Many experts note that new cases of asthma are harder to diagnose in older adults because a major symptom of asthma is wheezing which may occur with other lung conditions, such as emphysema or heart failure.

You also hear that children outgrow asthma, but from my own experience, I think asthma sufferers just become more adept at avoiding the allergens such as dust, mold and animal protein that trigger it. For example, I totally avoid furry animals, because I know exposure to them over a period of a couple of hours can trigger an asthmatic attack, and I'm getting more adept at avoiding mold, even though it's hard to see, but the worst problem for me is dust. It's everywhere, in our houses, in our cars and even in the air we breathe outside. As roads and infrastructures age and deteriorate, they increase the dust in the atmosphere and then the reconstruction of roads, bridges and building complexes adds dust particles to the air.

Recently the EPA issued guidelines for dust control, dust abatement and PM10 regulations. That means it's important for state and local governments to do as much as they can to economically control Particulate Matter of 10 microns in diameter or smaller. By taking corrective dust control/abatement measures, it's hoped that governments and businesses will dramatically reduce dust in the environment which will ultimately decrease the suffering of those with asthma and other breathing disorders.