Eleven years after their last fine soot regulations, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to enact a new law in order to remove harmful pollution in the air.

Fine soot is a form of particle pollution (also known as PM2.5) existing in the atmosphere. This matter has a diameter of under 2.5 micrometers. The Center for American Progress found that it is commonly produced by coal burning, industrial production, motor vehicles, and oil refineries. Fine soot is a particularly deadly pollutant, being known to cause cancer, heart attacks, asthma, and strokes, as reported by the Environmental Defense Fund.

According to the EPA, the existing annual rules do not allow greater than 12 micrograms of fine particle pollution in each cubic meter of the atmosphere. Now, the EPA wants to change the maximum to nine or ten micrograms, although this range could be altered anywhere from eight to eleven during the legal process.

Cable News Network (CNN) Health wrote that these proposed changes were mainly prompted by the present health risks and the need to reduce them. In addition, in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised organizations like the EPA to adjust the limit to five micrograms of fine particle pollution per cubic meter of air. The WHO hopes that this recommendation could lower deaths from this type of pollution by 80%.

The EPA still has yet to meet the WHO’s goal of five micrograms, and other organizations have been urging them to continue taking steps past eight micrograms for the health benefits. As of right now, the EPA’s current actions to create better regulations have expressed a possible interest in pursuing the process until they reach five micrograms or lower.

Michael Regan, the EPA Administrator, expressed his high hopes for the well-researched efforts of the new law proposal.

“Fine particulate matter is both deadly and extremely costly. This proposal is anchored in the best available science and reflects input from the public and scientific experts. [Strengthening this standard will deliver] transformative benefits nationally,” Regan said.