Bellevue-what's the scoop?

[heartchya]

Greg42 I would be interested to see more info on that. I grew up and lived in Bellevue for 21 years. My sisters and I have no breathing problems, nor do any of my close friends from the area. Also would think it would be affecting Brighton Heights as well since it is right next to Bellevue. Would be even more interested in statistics from Avonworth due to Ben Avon and Emsworth. It's def. new news to me. My oldest sister and nieces and nephews still live in Bellevue. I will see if she has heard anything about it.

[greg42]

It might not be entirely the plant, of course. Asthma has been on the upswing anyway, overall, everywhere, and I'm not sure there's any particular cause anyone has pinpointed for that beyond greater awareness leading to more diagnosis.

I lived in Emsworth for 5 years, and I don't feel like my asthma got notably worse from that. I can't be sure, but I've never thought that I felt so much better after moving away and can't remember that it was better before I lived there. It's mainly been pretty much the same all those years, mostly not a big problem to me at all. (It's very mild for me, most days I don't even think about it because I experience no symptoms.)

Of course, even 37% leaves 63% with nothing, so it's also possible that you really didn't run into anyone who had it. Or, it's possible that milder cases are being diagnosed more often now. Lots of variables make it nowhere near a slam dunk that the plant alone is responsible for this. But that is a crazy high amount; nationally it looks like it's 9.6% of children, so that would be almost 4x the average. Definitely suggests something location-related. And it's quite possible it does affect Ben Avon, Emsworth, Brighton Heights, etc. as well.

[heartchya]

I agree with what you are saying Greg. Just not something I had really heard mentioned before. I will say though that it seems like kids are diagnosed with a lot more stuff these days...but that is whole 'nother conversation.

[Goinback2011]

This came out 6 years ago. I don't know if there have been any follow-up studies, but it would account for the higher rate of asthma you see in children nowadays:

Pregnant smokers increases grandkids' asthma risk
22:00 11 April 2005 by Gaia Vince

Women who smoke when pregnant may spark asthma in their grandchildren decades later, a new study discovers.

Moderator cut: shortened, copyright protection

More: Pregnant smokers increases grandkids' asthma risk - health - 11 April 2005 - New Scientist

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

This came out 6 years ago. I don't know if there have been any follow-up studies, but it would account for the higher rate of asthma you see in children nowadays:

I don't know about that.

There were a lot more smokers smoking in the 1950's and 1960's when I was a kid, and kids in my generation didn't get asthma to the degree they do today.

Back in the day, people smoked on Greyhound busses, in department stores, in the A&P, on planes and in hospital wards (except where they were using oxygen of course).

And the industrial pollution was a lot greater than today.

Yet the asthma rate was a lot less.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Back in the day, people smoked on Greyhound buses, in department stores, in the A&P, on planes and in hospital wards (except where they were using oxygen of course).

Does anyone remember if smoking was allowed on PAT buses in the early 1970s?

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by jay5835

Does anyone remember if smoking was allowed on PAT buses in the early 1970s?

Smoking was not allowed on PAT busses any time after 1968 at least.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Smoking was not allowed on PAT busses any time after 1968 at least.

Thank you. I didn't think so, but I wasn't sure, and after all, it was Pittsburgh.

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by greg42

The most striking stat cited: "A recent report released by the Allegheny County Health Department shows that 37.6 percent of all students in the Northgate School District, which serves Avalon and Bellevue, have asthma." Yow.

That's an alarming statistic and warrants being declared a state of emergency! Allegheny County is dragging it's feet with addressing this issue, as the concern with Shenango's pollution has been questioned for the last 6 years, and still no steps taken to shut it down. This has spurred residents to take action, though and it's a blessing that Popovich is a board member of GASP/Clean Water and also a Ben Avon resident.

How dismaying it was reading about the plant manager's ( Guzy) response to Popovich's request for public meeting and was denied. Pure arrogance that instead, he agreed to meet him for coffee to talk and watch the emissions rise together!

Heartchya brought up a good point about the stats on the asthma rate for Avonworth kids/ lack of data. The air quality was measured in Avalon only. The topography of the area's hills is probably containing the pollution in Ben Avon and other areas too.It's not like the pollution floats along and knows to deposit itself on Bellevue/Avalon only, which have a small combined area of approx 2 sq. miles.

I'm willing to bet that whatever the violations Shenango are committing is what's responsible for the sudden spike in asthma rates.Neville Island has been processing coke since the 1920's but it's only been recent years that asthma has spiked to such crazy high levels?
It's a shame, because it's totally unnecessary for the plant to be allowed to still be in operation. You might as well say unregulated. With scrubbers the plant could still operate at that location while still safely meeting EPA standards but Shenango has been trying to gyp out of paying for the scrubber equipment all along for the sake of profit only.Sadly,they are getting away with being negligent instead of being shut down.

The North Boro's communities are most affected by this and are nice, family friendly, safe, affordable and convenient for residents to live in. It's too bad they are the ones who have to pay the price because of the Shenango plant.