Americans will breathe cleaner air thanks to a decision taken last week by the Environmental Protection Agency according to which the amount of lead in the air will be 90 percent lower than current emissions. The decision is based on more than 6,000 studies since 1990, all on lead emissions, said EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.

In 1978, the EPA decided to remove lead from gasoline improving significantly the quality of the air in the US. Lead levels were brought to 1.5 micrograms per cubic air. Now, the agency will tighten airborne lead levels by 90 percent to 0.15 micrograms per cubic air. This way, it hopes to improve public health, especially for children. Lead exposure might cause brain and nerve damage, lower intelligence, suppress the immune system and can further cause high blood pressure and heart disease. Developing fetuses are also at risk for adverse health outcomes.

The new EPA measure has as main target metal smelters, iron and steel foundries and battery makers, as they are the major sources of lead emissions. However, this does not mean that lead pollutants will stop their activity right away. The EPA estimates that 18 counties in a dozen states will violate the new standard. They are as follows: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. But local government must come up with ideas to reduce lead emissions in order to avoid fines. Earlier this year, EPA accused five of the country’s states – Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan – of violating one of its recently added pollution standards. The agency is conducting an exhaustive research and by December the final list should be completed.