Air Quality Expo Educates Citizens on Air Pollution

PennFuture and Clean Water Action hosted the third annual Air Quality Expo at Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Carnegie Library to educate residents about air pollution drifting from the Mon Valley. Attendees watched VICE’s “Steam Valley” documentary, hearing stories from Clairton residents like Cheryl Hurt who described smelling benzene in the air and coping with soaring childhood asthma rates. The film illustrates the disconnect between those who see only harmless steam rising from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works and the public health experts who note the plume contains particulate matter and other hazardous pollutants.

Researchers explained that pollution from Clairton travels far beyond the Mon Valley. Carnegie Mellon University’s Dr. Albert Presto mapped plumes using the Breathemobile and found that emissions can reach Pittsburgh’s East End neighbourhoods. Dr. Deborah Gentile shared her study showing that nearly 35% of schoolchildren living near major pollution sources have asthma—more than double the national rate—and that minority and lower‑income families are disproportionately exposed.

The expo encouraged citizen action. Organisers urged attendees to use tools like the Smell PGH app, Breathe Cam and Speck Sensor to document pollution and hold industry and regulators accountable. They encouraged community members to speak at Allegheny County Health Department Board of Health meetings and sign up for PennFuture’s email updates to stay informed and support ongoing clean‑air campaigns.