An upset homeowner reported an issue they were having on a Reddit forum focused on legal advice. Their home was next door to an automotive shop that added car painting to their menu of services a couple of years after their family purchased the home. The family could smell paint fumes outside and inside their house and were worried about how the air quality was affecting their health.
"It's ridiculous," they stated.
The homeowner tried speaking to the owner of the shop to no avail, and the painting and fumes continued to affect them. They called the city and were told that the auto shop met regulations upon inspection and would not pursue the matter further.
The original poster and their family all suffered from sickness and disease that they suspected were a result of the toxic chemical exposure.
They felt paranoid, worried, and angry, faced with a daily choice to leave the home for hours to minimize exposure or be subjected to toxic air.
Studies highlighting health concerns about human exposure to air pollutants prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to enact a federal law — The Clean Air Act — that aims to protect public health and the environment by regulating hazardous air pollutants.
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One Redditor advised the OP to contact the EPA. The EPA works with local groups to implement clean air programs.
Toxic air pollutants affect our lungs and have been linked to health issues such as heart disease, cancer, and mental health problems. People who live in areas with high levels of air pollution have been shown to be more likely to experience stress, depression, and other health effects. Consistent, repeated exposure is concerning.
The OP provided an update, sharing that their family has since moved out of the area due to the air quality but was still attempting to take action for the sake of the neighbors still living there.
One Redditor encouraged the OP to contact a personal injury attorney: "Just because they're properly zoned doesn't mean they can release chemicals into the air which harm adjacent land owners."
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Another comment communicated outrage about the city's lack of action, stating, "Paint fumes that waft onto neighbors' property are obviously not controlled or otherwise properly mitigated."
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