I was reading an Associated Press article about the smog in Hong Kong over the weekend and that how the levels have become dangerous, particularly for the young and the elderly. Some older people had to keep a wet towel over their faces when going outside, to avoid inhaling some of the pollution. I read this at the same time as I was preparing a comment to the EPA regarding the strengthening the standards for ozone in this country. Right now, the standards for ozone pollution in the U.S. are such that they do not protect those considered 'sensitive' (like the young and old) in a satisfactory manner. Research has shown that in the cities analyzed, there could be 4,000 fewer deaths per year if the standards were strengthened. The EPA's own scientific advisory board plus numerous medical associations have concurred that the current standards do not go far enough to protect people against the effects of ozone pollution. Apparently in an effort to appease industry, the EPA has ignored these outcries and has left the standard too loose. Hopefully, the EPA will finally tighten the standards such that even those in 'sensitive' populations can be adequately protected. The irony is that when ozone is too high, industry and the economy can suffer, as is happening right now in Hong Kong. It may lose foreign investment and businesses in the future because of the extreme air pollution and many foreigners who may have considered retiring there--and consequently, spending lots of money there--may go elsewhere. The scary part was that when these very high levels of smog were measured, many industries had been closed for a week or more, apparently for some kind of vacation or something similar. What are the levels like when industry is going full blast? Governmental officials need to remember that industry and the pollution that goes with it, must be controlled in some respects, as wealthy companies and individuals may be deterred from locating in highly polluted areas. This can then result in the region degenerating into an industrial wasteland of sorts.