A new UC Riverside study that examined air quality and respiratory health in the Salton Sea shows dust storms are creating environmental harms and inequality for families. The Salton Sea, California’s largest inland lake, has been shrinking as temperatures rise and water decreases. Dust from the exposed lake bed blows inside the homes of people near the Coachella and Imperial Valleys. UCR researchers placed air quality monitors inside the homes of 15 mothers, who documented their experiences through personal narratives. … Communities around the Salton Sea have high rates of childhood asthma that are higher than the California average. Experts also say contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals may be concentrated in the dust.

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• Imperial Valley Press (El Centro, Calif.): Dust from shrinking Salton Sea penetrates homes, fueling respiratory crisis for local children, study finds