Progress Illinois

Following a blistering Tribune report about the poor air quality in the region, the Cook County Board of Commissioners is now considering a series of measures to curb toxic and airborne pollutants through strengthened environmental control policies.

The county is home to seven of the nation's top 100 most hazardous air polluters. It's an open question whether the proposals -- such as levying fees on those who operate incinerators or store inorganic materials -- would ultimately force local industries to retool their operations and help clear the region's air. The county has yet to set targets for how much pollution they aim to cut via the proposed measures, which are currently being mulled over by the board's Environmental Control Committee.

Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley, who chairs the county's environment committee, told the Tribune that he sees new potential for adopting stricter policies, particularly in light of the paper's recent expose. "When an issue is hot, you try to strike and make a difference," Quigley said.

Controlling air pollutants is often slow-going, the Tribune reports, as environmental protection laws have lagged despite mounting evidence of the severe health impacts posed by air pollutants:

A growing body of research shows dirty air is more dangerous than had been thought. Heavy metals and chemicals these factories put into the air—such as chromium, lead, manganese and sulfuric acid—have been linked to cancer, learning disabilities and other ailments.

And federal officials acknowledge that existing regulations don't address the cumulative risk posed by multiple polluters. That's particularly significant around Chicago, where the legacy of a gritty industrial past is dirty factories operating close to residential neighborhoods.