The purpose of the proposed research is to reduce wildfire smoke exposures and health risks among agricultural workers and other low-income families by designing and field testing an affordable and…

This $994,407 project grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, under the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program (CFDA 66.509), will fund the design, testing, and deployment of affordable particle filtration systems for evaporative coolers to reduce wildfire smoke exposures among agricultural workers and low-income families in California. The Public Health Institute will lead the effort to design an effective yet inexpensive filter that can be mass produced for widespread use. Central California Environmental Justice Network will engage participants and distribute air quality monitors and filters. Illinois Institute of Technology will pilot, design, test and deploy the filtration systems and provide $XXX,XXX as a sub-awardee to analyze evaporative cooler systems, design filter prototypes, conduct performance testing, and assist with in-situ monitoring and data analysis over the three-year period ending August 2024. The project aims to develop a solution that protects vulnerable populations from health risks of wildfire smoke inhalation.

The purpose of the proposed research is to reduce wildfire smoke exposures and health risks among agricultural workers and other low-income families by designing and field testing an affordable and effective particle filtration system for rooftop evaporative coolers. Participant engagement strategy will be used to evaluate the system and identify potential barriers to widespread use. The project will (1) design a filter that is effective, easy to install, and affordableand (2) test the filter in the homes of agricultural workers in the SAN joaquin valley, with continuous monitoring of indoor and outdoor particulate matter concentrations, and more intensive testing in a subset of homesand (3) implement a participant engagement strategy to evaluate evaporative cooler filtration systems and identify potential barriers to widespread use. The expected outcome of project is to produce an affordable and effective filter design that could be mass-produced after the end of the grant for homes with evaporative coolers in the western U.S., thereby protecting people from wildfire smoke exposure. Direct beneficiaries of this research include the scientific community and low-income people affected by wildfire smoke exposure. Central california environmental justice network will engage participants and distribute monitors and filters to participants. Illinois institute of technology will lead the piloting, designing, testing and deployment of the filtration systems. The university of colorado boulder will facilitate the design advisory group. The university of california SAN francisco will administer health surveys to the participants.