Georgia’s soot amount is safe, says EPA

The amount of soot found in Georgia’s air every day is safe for public health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said this week. The EPA did not penalize Georgia for several wildfires last year that blew smoke into metro Atlanta, including one that burned 564,450 acres in and around the Okefenokee Swamp. While metro Atlanta meets daily standards, it does not meet the stricter annual standard for soot, which can work its way into lungs and blood vessels, causing respiratory and heart problems. The region has until 2010 to comply or face tighter pollution controls.