A new community air-monitoring effort has found elevated levels of fine particle pollution in several heavily Latino Texas communities, highlighting ongoing concerns that Latino neighborhoods often face higher exposure to unhealthy air and the health risks that come with it.
The project — led by the Hispanic Access Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—placed low-cost PM2.5 sensors at Latino-serving churches in McAllen, Weslaco, and El Paso. PM2.5 refers to microscopic particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs and, in some cases, enter the bloodstream.
The foundation said average PM2.5 concentrations at the Weslaco site measured about 9.3 micrograms per cubic meter, above the EPA’s updated annual health-based standard of 9.0, while McAllen (8.9) and El Paso (6.7) were below that threshold.
Hilda Berganza, the foundation’s climate program manager, said the church-based approach was designed to pair “science, community experience, and education.” She said the work also revealed a knowledge gap: “About 90% of the people we’ve interacted with didn’t know about PM2.5, didn’t know the health impacts, and even socio-economic impacts.”
Health researchers have linked PM2.5 exposure to worsened asthma and other respiratory illnesses, along with cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and stroke. Public health agencies also warn that children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with existing heart or lung disease can face higher risks during polluted days.
The Texas findings are part of “El Aire Que Respiramos,” a broader monitoring effort that also collected data in California, Idaho, Illinois, and Nevada. The foundation said it plans to use the results to inform local advocacy and practical steps communities can take to reduce exposure, while acknowledging that sustained improvements typically require emissions reductions from major sources such as traffic, industry, and smoke events.
Guest:
Hilda Berganza is the Climate Program Manager at Hispanic Access Foundation.
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