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Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors issue warning as common sleep habit is linked to risk of early death in major study
Daytime napping may be linked to a higher risk of early death, according to a major new study. The discovery was made by researchers who tracking the sleep habits of more than 86,000 healthy middle-aged adults. They found that those who regularly napped—particularly in the early afternoon—were more likely to die prematurely than those who did not. The study, presented at the SLEEP 2025 conference, found the risk of death rose by up to 20 per cent among frequent nappers. Experts say daytime sleepiness may be a warning sign of disrupted or poor-quality night-time rest, and could point to underlying health problems such as sleep disorders, dementia, or heart failure. Professor James Rowley, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who was not involved in the research, said the findings should influence how doctors ask patients about sleep. 'The major take-home message is that if a doctor asks about a patient's sleep habits, they should also be asking about napping,' he told Medscape Medical News. 'In other words, doctors should be asking their patients, 'Do you nap in the day?' The study focused on middle-aged adults who did not work night shifts and had no major health problems at the outset. This helped to rule out other explanations for excessive daytime sleepiness and suggesting that the link with earlier death may not simply be due to existing illness or lifestyle factors. The participant's sleep was assessed over a week-long period, using actigraphy—a method for monitoring a person's sleep-wake patterns using a small, watch-like device called an actigraph. Daytime napping was defined as sleep between 9am and 7pm. On average, participants napped for around 24 minutes, with approximately a third of naps taken in the morning, between 9 and 11am. During a follow-up period of 11 years, 5,189 of the participants died and overall, researchers noted that as people got older, they slept for longer later in the day. After adjusting for potentially confounding lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol use and nighttime sleep duration, results showed that a less consistent napping routine was associated with a 14 per cent increased risk of mortality. Scientists found the highest risk of death was seen in people who slept for the longest during the day, with people who nap between 11am and 1pm experiencing a seven per cent increased risk. Lead researcher, Professor Chenlu Gao, from Harvard Medical School, said: 'Our study fills a gap in knowledge by showing that it's not just whether someone naps but how long, how variable, and when they nap may be meaningful indicators of future health risk. 'While many studies have examined the links between sleep and mortality, they have largely focused on nighttime sleep. 'However, napping is an important component of the 24-hour-sleep-wake cycle and may carry its own health implications. 'Our findings suggest that certain patterns of napping could serve as early indications of declining health.' The researchers warned that further research is needed to better understand the biological pathways underlying these associations. They noted that longer or more irregular naps could reflect underlying health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression and dementia. Other studies suggest the explanation may lie with the impact on our circadian rhythms—the natural sleep-wake cycles that determine a host of bodily functions. The experts, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, also argued that being asleep during the daytime could impact the brain's ability to clear waste that builds up during the day. The findings come after a landmark study last year suggested almost half of all cases of Alzheimer's disease—the most common cause of dementia—could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors. These included hearing loss, high cholesterol, vision loss and lack of exercise. Experts claimed the study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, provided more hope than 'ever before' that the disorder that blights the lives of millions can be prevented. Alzheimer's Disease affects 982,000 people in the UK. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer. One 2019 estimate put the annual death toll at 70,000 people a year with the health issues caused costing the NHS £700million each year to treat. The WHO puts the annual global death toll from physical inactivity at around 2million per year, making it in the running to be among the top 10 leading causes of global death and disability.
Medscape
10-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Fundamental Change in Understanding of Postpartum Sleep
SEATTLE — The lack of uninterrupted sleep, rather than the lack of total sleep, appears to be the biggest challenge for new first-time moms and is a defining feature of postpartum sleep disruption, new data suggested. Investigators said the findings highlighted a previously understudied area of research and could be important for maternal health. The study showed that sleep duration was significantly reduced during the first postpartum week but gradually returned to near prepregnancy levels thereafter. However, the longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep remained considerably below preconception levels throughout the first 13 postpartum weeks. 'The significant loss of uninterrupted sleep in the postpartum period was the most dramatic finding. While mothers generally returned to their prepregnancy total nightly sleep duration after the first postpartum week, the structure of their sleep remained profoundly altered,' lead author Teresa Lillis, PhD, adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said in a news release. Teresa Lillis, PhD 'These results fundamentally change our understanding of postpartum sleep by introducing a metric commonly used in the infant sleep literature that previous maternal sleep researchers have overlooked — the longest uninterrupted stretch of sleep,' Lillis told Medscape Medical News. The results showed that 'sleep discontinuity — not sleep loss — is the defining feature of postpartum sleep disruption — one that may have profound implications for maternal health,' Lillis added. The findings were presented on June 9 at the SLEEP 2025. Novel Data on Sleep Disruption The study included 41 first-time mothers aged between 26 and 43 years. Researchers analyzed sleep/wake data logged in Fitbit trackers from a full year before childbirth to the end of the first postpartum year. They used the data to calculate sleep duration and longest stretch of sleep for each 24-hour day, comparing the first 13 postpartum weeks with the same days of the prior year (preconception baseline). The results showed that the average daily sleep duration of new mothers was 4.4 hours during the first week after giving birth compared with a prepregnancy sleep duration of 7.8 hours. The longest stretch of uninterrupted sleep for new mothers fell from 5.6 hours before pregnancy to 2.2 hours during the first week after delivery. But while total daily sleep crept back to 6.7 hours in postpartum weeks 2-7, new moms received only 3.2 hours of uninterrupted sleep by that time. In postpartum weeks 8-13, moms logged 7.3 hours of total daily sleep compared to just 4.1 hours of uninterrupted sleep. 'This persistent reduction in uninterrupted sleep explains why mothers continue to feel exhausted even when they appear to be getting 'enough' sleep on paper,' Lillis said. Mental and Physical Hit Sleep discontinuity has been shown to have negative effects on cognitive functioning, mood and emotion regulation, and less restorative physical recovery than uninterrupted sleep, Lillis noted. 'But by focusing only on total sleep time in previous research, we've overlooked a critical risk factor and intervention target for postpartum depression and other postpartum health-related issues,' Lillis told Medscape Medical News . Lillis said the current findings validate the lived experience of new mothers' exhaustion and provide a new target for sleep-related interventions. 'Healthcare providers need to shift their mindset from traditional advice that focuses on adding minutes to total sleep duration (like 'nap when the baby naps') to prioritizing strategies that protect opportunities for uninterrupted sleep,' Lillis said. The most effective immediate intervention is helping mothers identify a support person (partner, family member, friend, or hired help) who can take over infant care for extended periods, allowing mothers to achieve longer sleep stretches (ideally 4+ hours), Lillis said. 'The key message here is that consolidated sleep, not just total sleep, should be the therapeutic target,' Lillis told Medscape Medical News . Commenting on this research for Medscape Medical News , Kin Yuen, MD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, said, 'What is novel is establishing how long sleep is disrupted postpartum with objective data.' 'This is also the longest tracking data before delivery that I know of, showing at baseline that these mothers had relatively normal sleep. The more extended and abrupt the sleep loss is, the more sleep pressure accumulates and likely dysfunction of cognition and mood result,' said Yuen, sleep medicine specialist with the Sleep Disorders Center, UCSF Health. 'Prior studies have shown that first-time mothers suffer the most acute sleep loss compared to baseline and had more dysfunction subsequently. Overall, it's helpful to know and quantify the amount of sleep loss before and after pregnancy to further understand the impact of sleep loss for new mothers and identity potential interventions,' Yuen said.
Medical News Today
09-06-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Dementia: Switching to MIND diet even later in life can lower risk
MIND diet lowers dementia risk, even if you start it later in life, a new study has found. Image credit: istetiana/Getty Images. As of 2021, about 57 million people around the world were living with dementia, with 60–70% of those cases being Alzheimer's disease. In 2015, researchers at Rush University Medical Center developed the MIND diet. Since then, multiple studies have linked this eating pattern to a reduced risk of dementia. A new study says that following the MIND diet may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, even if they don't start following the diet until later in life. These benefits were especially seen in participants who identified as African-American, Latino, or white. Past studies have shown that certain lifestyle changes — such as following a healthy diet — may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia. With its emphasis on brain-healthy foods, past studies have suggested that following the MIND diet may decrease a person's risk for cognitive impairment, more generally, and dementia and mortality , more specifically. Now, a new study presented at NUTRITION 2025, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, reports that following the MIND diet may help lower a person's risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease, even if they don't start following the diet until later in life. These benefits were especially seen in participants who identified asAfrican American, Latino, or white. The study is yet to undergo peer review and appear in a specialised journal. For this study, researchers analyzed dietary data from almost 93,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 45 to 75, who participated in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, which began in the 1990s. Participants were from five racial and ethnic groups — African American, Latino, white, Native Hawaiian, and Asian American. Scientists scored each participant's adherence to MIND diet principles based on a food frequency questionnaire provided at the start of the study and again 10 years later. 'The MIND diet includes 10 brain-healthy and 5 brain-unhealthy food groups,' Song-Yi Park, PhD, associate professor of the Population Sciences in the Pacific Program at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and lead author of this study told Medical News Today . 'We calculated the MIND diet score using Morris' methods in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. We examined several healthy dietary patterns and found more consistent results with the MIND diet compared to other dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and Healthy Eating Index.' At the study's conclusion, Park and her team found that study participants with the highest MIND diet scores at the start of the study had a 9% lower risk of developing dementia. That reduced risk rate jumped to 13% for participants identifying as white, Latino, or African American. 'Previous studies were mostly conducted in White populations,' Park explained. 'Our study confirms the protective association in a more diverse population. We have no clear explanation for the observed racial/ethnic heterogeneity. Differences in dietary patterns and preferences could play a role. Also, the MIND diet may not fully capture the benefits of ethnic diets.' Scientists also discovered that study participants who improved their adherence to the MIND diet over 10 years — including those who at first did not closely follow this dietary pattern — decreased their dementia risk by 25%, compared to those whose MIND diet compliance declined. 'Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias,' Park said in a press release. 'This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia.' Since the burden of dementia is increasing and the pharmacological treatments are still very limited, Park said reducing modifiable risk factors to prevent the disease is a public health priority. 'Improving diet quality at older ages is still beneficial for preventing dementia,' she continued. 'We plan to explore individual dietary components that can better capture ethnically tailored healthy dietary patterns and optimal intake levels.' MNT had the opportunity to speak with Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist in private practice in Santa Monica, CA, and on staff at Providence St. John's Health Center, about this study. 'I wish I agreed that leafy green vegetables, berries, nuts, and olive oil were proven brain healthy foods as these are definitely healthy for your heart, but less clearly for your brain,' Segil, who was not involved in the research, commented. He explained that eating healthy throughout your life can help reduce your risk of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and first-time heart attacks and strokes. But, he suggested, 'it is less clear if healthy eating can protect elderly patients from getting dementia.' 'Modifiable risk factors medicine allow physicians to give advice to patients to prevent disease and avoid medications,' Segil continued. 'We have no clearly proven modifiable risk factors in life to prevent the onset of memory loss as we age or dementia at this time. 'I would like to see that the proposed MIND diet had any significant impact on a patient's blood pressure, blood glucose, or serum lipid profile,' Segil added. 'I would like to see if the MIND diet causes changes to routine lab tests physicians follow in their annual physical exams on patients.' Monique Richard, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition-In-Sight, offered MNT her top tips for those who may want to try the MIND diet. 'Before implementing, be sure to meet with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to understand further how these dietary patterns may, or may not, be beneficial to your needs, goals, preferences, ability to access, culinary literacy and cultural heritage,' Richard advised. She said that individuals could consider adding these MIND diet components fairly easily to their current diet, depending on access, for nutrient dense choices bursting with flavor, texture and versatility: berries, such as strawberries, wild blueberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, elderberries leafy greens, including kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, microgreens, mustard greens, arugula — these can be added to smoothies, sautéed dishes, stir-fry, soups, or eaten raw with each meal, aiming for 6 to 9 servings in a week nuts and seeds like pistachios, pecans, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seed kernels, chia seeds, flaxseeds — added to snacks, muffins, oatmeal, sandwiches, or salads Beans, such as kidney, lima, black beans, navy bean, garbanzo beans, or even lentils, legumes (like peanuts), and soybeans (edamame, fermented tofu) — aim for 4 to 6 meals per week that include beans non-starchy vegetables, such as onions, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, beets, and carrots — eaten more often in addition to leafy greens whole grains like oats, whole rye, rice, buckwheat, farro, sorghum — incorporated into meals, at least 3 servings of these a day cold water fatty fish — 4–6 ounces per serving, two to three times a week olive oil — ideally high-quality, extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil in cooked dishes. Richard suggested: 'Be mindful — consider asking yourself what […] your meals look like on a daily basis in comparison to these recommended components. Do you know how to shop for, prepare, or consume these foods? Are you able to access a variety of these foods? What other tools may be helpful for you to incorporate these into your life?' 'Feed your mind — following dietary patterns such as the MIND diet are only part of the equation,' she also advised. Alzheimer's / Dementia Neurology / Neuroscience Nutrition / Diet
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Doctors warn at-risk groups as Canadian wildfires bring haze to Chicago
The Brief Smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada is drifting south, bringing hazy skies and worsening air quality to the Chicago area. Healthy individuals without pre-existing conditions may not notice any breathing issues, but the elderly, babies, and those with lung and heart conditions should take extra steps to prepare. Doctors recommend sensitive groups, such as those with asthma or COPD, should stay indoors, in a room with clean, filtered air. CHICAGO - Smoke from raging wildfires in Canada is drifting south, bringing hazy skies and worsening air quality to Chicagoland — a concern for sensitive groups and those preparing for outdoor events this weekend. What we know As thick haze from the north drifts into our region and air quality continues to decline, health experts are urging caution, particularly for individuals with certain pre-existing conditions. "The best way to handle the heavy or smoky condition is to avoid it if you can and stay inside," said Steve Mosakowski, director, Respiratory Care Services, Rush University Medical Center. Levels of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) were on the rise Friday and are expected to continue climbing throughout the weekend. That means sensitive groups will have a harder time breathing. "If you're inside, go to your clean room that you have set up in your house, run your air conditioner, keep your windows closed, your door closed, let that air conditioner run and cool things off and also filter some of that air. If you have an air filter, run that in that room so it keeps that room nice and clean," Mosakowski explained. Medical officials say it's important to understand the risks before lacing up and heading outdoors. Between Friday afternoon and evening, the air quality, according to shifted from 'good' to 'moderate'—and is expected to get worse. Most at risk of breathing difficulties are those with lung conditions like asthma and COPD, heart disease, the elderly, and babies. "If people are going to go outside and they have asthma or COPD, bring that inhaler with you and your spacer so that you can treat yourself should you need to," said Mosakowski. "But anybody who feels like they are struggling to breathe should seek immediate emergency help so that they can get the help they need." Mosakowski, who is also an assistant professor at Rush University's Department of Cardiopulmonary Sciences shares that you'll start to notice worsening air quality simply by looking outside. "It can give it that brown-ish or orange-ish reflection that we're going to see there. And that means that there's a lot more particles that are in the air that are reflecting that light," Mosakowski said. Healthy individuals without pre-existing conditions may not notice any breathing susceptible to breathing difficulties should also not burn candles or incense, which will further aggravate symptoms. What they're saying As the wind changed on Friday evening, haze hung over the Garfield Park Conservatory, where runners will take off for the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 (Half-Marathon) on Sunday."I've always been into humidity and even air quality and learning how it affects my running," said Jasmine Redmond-Winston, who is running in the race. "I am a little concerned but if it does clear up, that would be great." On Friday, race crews were hard at work preparing the course, which starts and ends in Garfield Park, while also extending into Douglass Park and Humboldt Park. "It's really cool to be on another side of the city that we don't really get a lot of exposure to, so that's really nice," Redmond-Winston said. Many runners and event organizers are keeping an eye on the sky—hopeful the haze won't cast a shadow on race day. "I'm excited to get back into it, you know the mix of emotions, the nerves and everything, the excitement, it's all kicking in," said Julian Rincon, who is running the Bank of America Chicago 13.1. What's next As the haze grows, local health officials and race organizers urge runners and residents to monitor air quality and adjust their activities as needed. The Bank of America Chicago Half Marathon kicks off at 6:50 a.m. Sunday with the Wheelchair Division, followed by the Open Division at 7 a.m. Packet pick-up will resume from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Roosevelt Collection on Saturday.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Is pollution from the steel industry behind cancer rates in Gary, Indiana?
Doctors, environmental groups and residents are trying to figure out if there is a causal connection between pollutants from the steel industry and rates of cancer in Gary, Indiana. Pollutants you can see, and tiny particulates you can't, come from different types of industry in the Gary region. But according to Environmental Protection Agency records, steel production plants release the most toxins of all the industries in the region. Beryl Fitzpatrick is one of the residents affected. You can hear the cancer as she speaks. "I was having trouble swallowing," she recalled. Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with Stage 3 tongue cancer. She didn't know if she would ever speak again after doctors removed part of her tongue while removing a cancerous tumor, but she fought to keep her voice. "I had to learn phonics. I had to learn, I had to learn words and sounds," she said. "It was humbling." And she knows the very air in her own backyard could be playing a role in her disease. "It's almost certain that her place of residence, with the high pollution and other industrial output contributed to her cancer," said Dr. Kerstin Stenson, lead of the head and neck cancer program at Rush University Medical Center who's been treating Fitzpatrick. The City of Gary was built by the steel industry, but when families like Fitzpatrick's moved to the region in droves from the South during the Great Migration for jobs and opportunities, they didn't know as much as we do now about the health risks linked to industrial production. "A lot of the teachers would talk about students that had asthma," Fitzpatrick said. Seven major coal-powered steel production plants operate in the United States. Three plants are clustered in the Gary region: Burns Harbor, Gary Works and Indiana Harbor. CBS News Chicago Investigators dug into state and federal data from the Environmental Protection Agency to see how these facilities impact the community. Our investigation found that in 2023, the latest data available, the three mills emitted 25 million pounds of toxins, more industrial pollution than the combined toxic release of the four similar mills in other states. "We do not need to sacrifice health and communities to make steel," said Hilary Lewis, a director of Industrial Labs. Industrial Labs, a nonprofit environmental organization, released a report in October 2024 detailing its findings on the steel industry's impact on the community. "The people in Northwest Indiana are bearing the brunt of the coal-based steel industry today," she said. The study found people living near one steel production facility have a 12% to 26% higher risk of getting cancer. People in Gary live near three. And cancer isn't the only health risk associated with this kind of industrial exposure. Industrial Labs' study found people living in Gary are in the top 10% of the nation at risk for developing asthma. Even Gary Mayor Eddie Melton grew up with asthma, and the irony of the steel industry that built the city now being the thing making people sick is not lost on him. "I mean, that's a stark reality that a lot of folks have to deal with," Melton said. The mayor wants this dealt with, in part, by toughening toxic emissions standards. But that may not happen; in March, the federal EPA announced it's considering lowering some standards polluters must meet. "What we're seeing from a federal and state government concerns me, in terms of rolling back the regulations on industries such as the steel industry, and other industries," Mayor Melton said. Gary already fails to meet federal air quality standards. Lake County, Indiana has more toxic releases than 99% of all other counties across the country, and the state ranks second in the nation for the most industrial pollution released per square mile. So what is the EPA doing for the people of Gary? "They're responsible for protecting clean air," Lewis said. "And right now, they're not doing that." CBS News Chicago Investigatiors dug into EPA records dating back to 1977 and found that since then the EPA took 152 formal actions against the steel production facilities. Nearly half of those actions were for violating the Clean Air Act. For those air pollution violations, regulators issued more than $23 million in penalties paid by the parent companies. "If you're a multi-billion-dollar corporation, fees and fines probably are just a drop in the bucket for you," Melton said. Both the state and federal EPA declined interviews but sent statements saying they act when facilities are out of compliance, and those actions have reduced air emissions. Fitzpatrick lives about 43 blocks from the largest steel mill in the nation, and we found they released more pollutants than any other steel or iron mill tracked by the EPA across the country. More than half the industrial pollution in Lake County comes from Gary Works, which is owned by U.S Steel. U.S. Steel declined an interview, but responded to questions by email, saying the EPA's data includes byproducts "legally emitted," and said they have systems in place to comply with environmental regulations. In regards to the Industrial Labs report, U.S. Steel said it was "designed to create media attention rather than reach any scientific conclusions." Fitzpatrick has lived in Gary for 60 of her 71 years, never fully knowing what she was exposed to. "I didn't think I was living a lifestyle that was polluting my body," she said. She wasn't. Dr. Stenson said Fitzpatrick doesn't have the typical risk factors for her cancer. And she's not alone. "There are many patients that have come from that industrial area that would present with head and neck cancer without risk factors," Stenson said. Gary has been notorious for its pollution for decades. Dr. Mihir Bhayani, also at Rush University Medical Center, is getting closer to directly linking air pollution and some cancers. The new research he is working on could force change. "What we are working on currently is, again, a direct causal link between air pollution and head and neck cancer," he said. He believes steel mills are making people sick in Gary, and he wants to see emissions standards toughened. "So that individuals who are living in those areas, they're exposed to the same clean air that individuals who are living in more affluent areas are," he said. "The types of communities that this industry is impacting are disproportionately people of color and low-income communities," said Lewis. More than 76% of Gary's population is Black, and the average income is less than $23,000 a year. About four hours away from Gary by car is the steel plant in Middletown, Ohio. It's getting a major portion of a $500 million federal grant to change the steel-making process and cut hazardous pollution in that city, which has an average income of $30,000 a year and is 73% white. Fitzpatrick believes more would be done to keep the air clean and her community healthy if Gary's demographics were different. "I am worthy. No matter what you think about my Black skin, my dark skin, I'm worthy. I'm worthy for this community to be cleaned up and I am a person worthy of a good life," she said. Gary and other communities found to be disproportionately impacted by pollution were getting extra help from the federal EPA's Environmental Justice office, but in April it was labeled a DEI program and shut down. If nothing is done, Bhayani said, there will be long-term effects on people living in communities like Gary. "They are going to have higher rates of cancer. They're going to have higher rates of cardiac disease. They're going to have high rates of lung disease," Bhayani said. That's why Fitzgerald, who fought for her voice while still battling the disease that nearly took it, said she'll do whatever it takes to make change here so that it can be different for someone else. "As long as I have breath and I can breathe and I have strength to get up, I'm going to join other people, like-minded people. We're going to fight. We're going to fight," she said. Cleveland Cliffs, which owns two of the plants in Northwest Indiana, did not return messages from CBS News Chicago Investigators. U.S. Steel maintains its work is essential to the health of the American economy. But Fitzgerald and others who live there worry about their own health, and they're asking lawmakers to step up and join their fight for cleaner air. The CBS News Race & Culture Unit and CBS News Data team contributed to this report. FULL STATEMENTS U.S. Steel On whether they have studied the impact of releases from Gary Works and the health effects, including cancer and asthma, in the community: "In 2020, the EPA deemed that there was an ample margin of safety around iron and steel emissions to protect public health and prevent adverse environmental effects." It is important to note that there are many industrial facilities in Northwest Indiana. Focusing solely on Gary Works as a source of pollution is both incorrect and irresponsible. On the study released by Industrial Labs: "It is clear that these conclusions were pre-determined by a group that describes itself as 'scaling campaigns and building a movement to clean up heavy industry', which is to say that this document is designed to create media attention rather than reach any scientific conclusions. There are certain interests campaigning to eliminate U.S.-based blast furnaces, which are essential to national security and the health of America's economy because they are the only facilities capable of making certain types and qualities of steels required for critical applications." On residents believing toxic releases would not be allowed at the same level in more affluent communities with different demographics: "Federal and state emissions laws and regulations apply equally to any municipality in the same jurisdiction. Gary, Indiana, is no exception. We care deeply about the communities where we live and work, as evidenced by the contributions by the Company and our employees. Since 2020, U. S. Steel Gary Works and its employees have donated over $1.3 million dollars to community organizations and efforts. In addition, our dedicated employees volunteer countless hours of their time to organizations and schools across the area. Our more than 3,400 Gary Works employees put safety and environmental compliance first. We are proud of their work and the Northwest Indiana community we call home." "In addition to our spend on environmental compliance and community investment and engagement, we were the only U.S. Metals, Minerals and Mining company recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for 2025- the fourth consecutive year we received this designation. It is a testament to our commitment to ethical conduct and compliance." "Gary Works was built in 1908, and the city was built around it. Any notion that we select certain areas to operate because of their demographics is wholly incorrect." On state and federal EPA fines, violations and consent decrees: "U. S. Steel spends more than $80 million annually on environmental controls in Indiana as part of its commitment to environmental excellence. The EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, from which this data is drawn, includes manufacturing byproducts that are legally emitted under the EPA's stringent regulations and those which are legally disposed of in permitted landfills. As the nation's largest integrated steelmaking facility, it is common sense that U. S. Steel's Gary Works will have more legally allowed releases than smaller iron or steel mills in the country." Additional comment on emissions controls and other projects: "U. S. Steel has robust systems and emissions control equipment at all levels of the steelmaking process to adhere to environmental regulations. At Gary Works, our processes and environmental controls are monitored extensively by our teams. Third parties are also used for sampling water and for opacity observation to ensure compliance with regulations. Our partnership with CarbonFree is one of the ways we're working to reduce emissions. This carbon capture and utilization project will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions by converting emissions to calcium carbonate, which is used in a variety of products for consumers and industry. Gary Works also produces Pig Iron, an important feedstock for U. S. Steel's electric arc furnaces. The Company is on track to meet its goal of 20% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 goal and has a goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050." Indiana Department of Environmental Management IDEM is not a health agency nor a legislative body. IDEM is also not involved in local zoning decisions that determine where businesses are located. IDEM is responsible for implementing and enforcing existing federal and state environmental regulations. This includes issuing operating permits that ensure businesses comply with applicable environmental standards and conducting routine inspections to monitor compliance. When facilities are found to be out of compliance, IDEM can initiate enforcement actions or refer cases for further legal or administrative review. The U.S. EPA does require states to submit a state implementation plan (SIP) for areas in nonattainment within its borders. You can find more information on the SIPs for Lake and Porter counties here: In 2013, IDEM conducted an assessment of air toxics in the industrialized area of Lake and Porter County. The complete Lakeshore Air Toxics Study is available here: The study found air toxics concentrations and risk within the lakeshore area to be similar to comparable communities, and the most significant risk is attributable to mobile sources (motor vehicles). In the time since the study, technological advances and pollution prevention strategies have led to a further decline in industrial emissions. We recognize that air quality is a deeply important issue for Northwest Indiana residents and remain committed to our responsibilities under the Clean Air Act and other applicable laws. For more specific responses to questions involving federal enforcement actions, health data, or proposed changes to emission standards, we encourage you to follow up directly with the U.S. EPA. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is fulfilling its mission to protect human health and the environment. The agency works with our state partners to ensure industrial facilities comply with all environmental laws and regulations. EPA performs on-site and off-site inspections to ensure compliance. If noncompliance is found, EPA takes action. EPA has issued three recent Clean Air Act enforcement settlements, which have significantly reduced air emissions. In Burns Harbor, Cleveland Cliffs BOF steel making shop and Phoenix Global slag processing companies and in Gary, the U.S. Steel Gary Works' blast furnace have all decreased particulate matter and metal hazardous air pollutants to the atmosphere. Our state partner, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, also conducts inspections and enforcement actions. Previous compliance and enforcement work, including inspections and enforcement activity, can be found in EPA's ECHO system. You can search by location or by facility. Keep in mind that the integrated iron and steel mills that you reference may have contractors on site that have separate permits and emissions reporting. The northern portions of Lake and Porter Counties are part of a larger Chicago area that was found to be out of compliance with the ground-level ozone (or "smog") standard. Ozone high in the atmosphere protects people from harmful ultraviolet rays but at ground-level it can trigger a variety of health problems, such as lung irritation. To learn more about attainment areas, visit our website.
