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Reposted by Joe Allen

Linsey Marr @linseymarr.bsky.social · 14d

The momentum for clean indoor air continues to build. I attended the inaugural High-Level Side Event on indoor air quality at the UN General Assembly yesterday. Short remarks by Lidia Morawska @joeallenjoe.bsky.social @isiaq.bsky.social Pres. Kerry Kinney, ASHRAE, WHO, UNEP, many others.

People in conference room at the UN building

The global pledge for healthy indoor air: That clean indoor air is a fundamental human right for protecting health and safeguarding well-being

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · 9d

Now with update 🙌

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Reposted by Joe Allen

Linsey Marr @linseymarr.bsky.social · 23d

GIFTED, UNLOCKED ARTICLE: www.wsj.com/business/air... with expert input from @joeallenjoe.bsky.social

This is disturbing. I'm considering adding a respirator with activated carbon to my travel kit.

Toxic Fumes Are Leaking Into Airplanes, Sickening Crews and Passengers

Doctors compare brain effects to concussions in NFL players. A Wall Street Journal investigation shows such incidents are increasingly common.

www.wsj.com

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · 9d

Best part of the day was running into folks like Linsey and so many others in the indoor air/healthy buildings space.

Linsey Marr @linseymarr.bsky.social · 14d

The momentum for clean indoor air continues to build. I attended the inaugural High-Level Side Event on indoor air quality at the UN General Assembly yesterday. Short remarks by Lidia Morawska @joeallenjoe.bsky.social @isiaq.bsky.social Pres. Kerry Kinney, ASHRAE, WHO, UNEP, many others.

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · 9d

My 3 imperatives from the UN event on indoor air.
We must...
1. Recognize indoor health is fundamental to human health
2. Recommit to ventilation / filtration not just as a technical standard for minimally acceptable conditions, but as a cornerstone of public health
3. Require indoor air monitoring

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · 29d

--> did NOT lead to increased costs
--> did NOT delay project timelines
--> did NOT result in worse product performance or aesthetics
--> DID lead to retrofitted spaces having nearly 80% lower levels of forever chemicals in dust

The playbook: healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/research/mat...

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Sep 8

Coming up in an hour...

Harvard Chan NIEHS Center for Environmental Health @hsphniehsctr.bsky.social · Sep 5

Join the Center on the Developing Child for a webinar on how wildfires impact early childhood development and health. Hear findings from @lafirehealth.bsky.social and learn how these insights can guide efforts to reduce exposure and protect healthy development. 🗓️ Register here: bit.ly/4oPIT3K

Protecting Young Children From the Impacts of Wildfires - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Join us for a live discussion on how wildfire smoke affects young children and how we can reduce exposure to support healthy development.

bit.ly

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Sep 8

"Why on earth would we abandon institutions that have genuinely made America great? Why would we put at risk laboratories that are working to cure cancers or perfecting artificial limbs or exploring deep space or testing the limits of AI?"
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

www.nytimes.com

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Sep 5

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Estimating the nationwide transmission risk of measles in US schools and impacts of vaccination and supplemental infection control strategies

The spread of airborne infectious diseases such as measles is a critical public health concern. The U.S. was certified measles-free in 2000, but the number of measles cases has increased in recent yea...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Sep 5

Good air quality in schools is about to become even more important in Florida where they're pulling back on vaccinations

1⃣ Results highlight the primary importance of vaccination for reducing the risk of measles transmission
2⃣ Addt'l and significant benefits thru enhancing ventilation + filtration

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 15

The narrative out there is polarized as either “we need more AC” or “more AC is bad for the planet.” Both are true. We need more, but better, air conditioners, paired with other energy-efficient cooling mechanisms and strategies in, on, and around our buildings. 👇
www.bostonglobe.com/2024/06/19/o...

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 12

I don't have the energy to re-post this here...

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 12

over on twitter...

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

The fires in L.A. caught researchers attention very early b/c of the spike in lead, arsenic, and other metals in the smoke
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Right as we're making so much progress on Alzheimer's, cancer, and other diseases, the Trump Admin decides to slash scientific research across the country

Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Funding for this research was stopped by Trump
--> "A study published last week...found that mice given a lithium-deficient diet had more amyloid, damaged neurons and impaired learning and memory. A low dose of lithium orotate reversed cognitive problems and restored memory."

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Funding for this research was stopped by Trump
--> "A study published last week...found that mice given a lithium-deficient diet had more amyloid, damaged neurons and impaired learning and memory. A low dose of lithium orotate reversed cognitive problems and restored memory."

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Recommendation for Additional Soil Testing and Lowering the Clearance Threshold for Lead
healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/recommendati...

Recommendation for Additional Soil Testing and Lowering the Clearance Threshold for Lead - Healthy Buildings

What is Known? Air quality monitoring during the active fires showed elevated levels of lead in the air. Testing of firefighters found higher blood lead levels than their counterparts. Recent soil tes...

healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

-Does not adhere to the health-based toxicity benchmark set by California

-Is subject to high uncertainty due to several exposure factor values used in the calculations

-Does not accurately reflect our current understanding of the risks that lead poses to children

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Why Is This Change Needed?

Repeated testing after soil remediation has shown that over 20% of properties still have lead levels exceeding existing thresholds. Additionally, the current 80 mg/kg PRG:

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

2. Lower California’s residential Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) for lead in soil from 80 mg/kg to 55 mg/kg to reflect updated science and more health-protective standards.

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

What Are We Recommending?

We recommend two critical reforms:
1. Require post-clearance confirmatory soil testing after wildfire cleanup. This step has been standard practice for every major wildfire in California since 2007.

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

What Did We Do?

In response to community concerns and questions about determining ‘safe’ levels of lead in soil after the L.A. fires, our team evaluated existing lead soil testing strategies and cleanup thresholds.

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

Recent soil testing has revealed that a significant number of homes, including those outside the burn area, have lead levels that exceed existing screening thresholds.

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 11

What is Known?

Air quality monitoring during the active fires showed elevated levels of lead in the air. Testing of firefighters found higher blood lead levels than their counterparts.

[1/n]

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Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Aug 10

Are current lead limits in soil strict enough to keep children safe? EPA uses 400ppm. California uses 80ppm. We don't think either are correct, and recommend 55ppm.
hsph.harvard.edu/environmenta...

Are current lead limits strict enough to keep children safe? | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

For Immediate Release:

hsph.harvard.edu

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