Nearly 60 percent of Americans still suffer air pollution levels that are often dangerous to breathe, according to a study recently published by the American Lung Association. The Association’s State of the Air 2010 report finds that unhealthy air remains a threat to the lives and health of more that 175 million people. And, despite progress in many places, the report finds that some cities, mostly in California, had air that was more polluted than in the previous report. There is some good news: a number of cities have “A” quality air, according to the Lung Association, and even some of the dirtiest are showing signs of improvement.
The 2010 report—the 11th annual release—uses the most recent quality-assured air pollution data, collected in 2006, 2007 and 2008. These data come from official monitors for the two most widespread types of pollution: ozone—or smog— and particle pollution—or soot. Particle pollution data are graded according to both year-round and short-term levels. The report ranks cities and counties based on their scores.
State of the Air 2010 includes for the first time population estimates for people living in poverty as a specific at-risk group. Research indicates that people living in lower socioeconomic conditions face greater risk from air pollution. The largest examination of particle pollution mortality nationwide by Johns Hopkins University found in 2008 that low socioeconomic status consistently increased the risk of premature death from fine particle pollution among 13.2 million Medicare recipients. A 2008 study of Washington, DC, found that poor air quality and worsened asthma went hand-in-hand in areas where Medicaid enrollment was high.
The Problem with Soot
Particle pollution—called fine particulate matter or PM 2.5—is a combination of tiny specks of soot, dust, and aerosols that are suspended in the air. Cities with problems with short-term levels have "spikes" in particle pollution that last anywhere from hours to days. Cities with year-round particle pollution face unhealthy levels day-in and day-out.
"People with heart or lung diseases, children and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure," said Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. "Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing. It also causes irregular heartbeat, heart attacks and even premature death in people with heart or lung disease."
The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. metropolitan area moved to the top of the list of cities most-polluted by year-round particle levels, while Bakersfield, Calif. ranked as the city having the most days of unhealthy short-term particle pollution. Nearly one-quarter of the people in the U.S.—almost 70.4 million—live where there are unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution, while roughly one in ten people—23.8 million—live where there are unhealthful levels year-round.
"The more we learn about particle pollution, the more we know we need to act," said Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO. "Dirty power plants and dirty diesel vehicles, heavy equipment and ocean-going vessels currently in use are some of the biggest polluters that threaten the lives and health of our families.”
That Burning Sensation in the Lungs…..
State of the Air 2010 found that 14 of the 25 most ozone-polluted metropolitan areas had fewer average unhealthy days than in the previous report. Still, 167.3 million Americans remain exposed to unhealthy levels of the country’s most widespread outdoor pollutant.
Ozone—or smog—is the most widespread air pollutant. Ground-level, ozone forms when nitrogen oxide gases and volatile organic compounds (carbon-containing chemicals that evaporate easily into the air, like gasoline vapors) from vehicle and industrial emissions react in the sunlight and heat.
"When you inhale ozone, it irritates your lungs, leaving them with something like a bad sunburn," said Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the American Lung Association. "It causes health problems the day you breathe it in, and even days after. Ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, asthma attacks and even shorten your life."
Los Angeles ranked worst for ozone levels. Although Los Angeles had slightly worse average levels than in the 2009 report, the metro area still reported its second lowest ozone levels since the Lung Association’s first report in 2000. All ten cities with worse ozone levels were in California.
NATION’S MOST POLLUTED CITIES
10 U.S. Cities Most Polluted by Short-term Particle Pollution (24 Hour PM2.5)
1. Bakersfield, Calif.
2. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
3. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
4. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
5. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, Ala.
6. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City,
Calif-Nev.
7. Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
8. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
9. Modesto, Calif.
10. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
10 U.S. Cities Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)
(Cities listed in rank order. Duplicate position numbers indicate ties.)
1. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.
2. Bakersfield, Calif.
3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
3. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
5. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
6. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
7. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, Ala.
8. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
9. Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, Ohio-
Ky.-Ind.
9. St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, Mo.-Ill.
10 U.S. Cities Most Polluted by Ozone (Cities listed in rank order.)
1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
2. Bakersfield, Calif.
3. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
4. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
5. Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Yuba City,
Calif-Nev.
6. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
7. Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, Texas
8. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
9. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
10. Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury, N.C.-S.C.
NATION’S CLEANEST CITIES
Cleanest U.S. Cities for Short-term Particle Pollution (24 Hour PM2.5) (Cities all received an “A”.)
Alexandria, La.
Amarillo, Texas
Athens-Clarke County, Ga.
Austin-Round Rock, Texas
Bangor, Maine
Billings, Mont.
Bloomington-Normal, Ill.
Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, Texas
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.
Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Claremont-Lebanon, N.H.-Vt.
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Corpus Christi-Kingsville, Texas
Fargo-Wahpeton, N.D.-Minn.
Farmington, N.M.
Fayetteville, N.C.
Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.
Grand Junction, Colo.
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Miss.
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Jackson-Yazoo City, Miss.
Lafayette-Acadiana, La.
Lincoln, Neb.
Longview-Marshall, Texas
McAllen-Edinburg-Pharr, Texas
Oklahoma City-Shawnee, Okla.
Pueblo, Colo.
Salinas, Calif.
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
Santa Fe-Espanola, N.M.
Sarasota-Bradenton-Punta Gorda, Fla.
Springfield, Ill.
Springfield, Mo.
St. Joseph, Mo.-Kan.
Syracuse-Auburn, N.Y.
Topeka, Kan.
Tucson, Ariz.
10 Cleanest U.S. Cities for Long-term Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5 )
(Cities listed in rank order. Duplicate position numbers indicate ties.)
1. Cheyenne, Wyo.
2. Santa Fe-Espanola, N.M.
3. Honolulu, Hawaii
4. Anchorage, Alaska
4. Great Falls, Mont.
6. Tucson, Ariz.
7. Amarillo, Texas
8. Albuquerque, N.M.
9. Flagstaff, Ariz.
10. Bismarck, N.D.
Cleanest U.S. Cities for Ozone Air Pollution (Cities all received an “A”)
Bismarck, N.D.
Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, Texas
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Duluth, Minn.-Wis.
Fargo-Wahpeton, N.D.-Minn.
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.-Mo.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Laredo, Texas
Lincoln, Neb.
Port St. Lucie-Sebastian-Vero Beach, Fla.
Rochester, Minn.
Sioux Falls, S.D.
For more info go to www.stateoftheair.org
