Yifang Zhu and Suzanne Paulson in The Daily Bruin: UCLA experts show LA air quality has improved, but encourage thinking long-term

A decrease in Southern California traffic led to decreases in microscopic air pollutants known as fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5. This contributed to a 20% improvement in air quality across Southern California, according to Yifang Zhu’s findings and Environmental Protection Agency data.

Poor air quality has negative consequences for public health; increased concentrations of carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter in the air can lead to increases in asthma attacks and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases, said Suzanne Paulson, director of the Center for Clean Air.  Efforts to improve air quality in Los Angeles over the past few decades have decreased the amount of overall carbon in the air and improved lung capacity in children, she added.