Southern California is experiencing a brutal heat wave, which is not only bringing dangerously high temperatures but also exacerbating air quality issues due to increased ozone pollution. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has issued an Ozone Alert, warning residents about the potential health risks associated with elevated ozone levels.
The American Lung Association’s (ALA) latest report reveals a significant increase in particle pollution levels in the United States, with millions of people experiencing harmful air quality. The report is a comprehensive analysis of air pollution data from 2020-2022 and includes grades for both short-term and annual average particle pollution levels. Key findings include:
1. Spike in Particle Pollution: The report highlights a sharp increase in particle pollution spikes, with 65 million people living in areas that experienced unhealthy levels. This is the highest number reported in 14 years and a clear indication of the impact of climate change on air quality.
2. Annual Particle Pollution: More than 90 million people live in counties where year-round particle pollution levels exceed the new national air quality limit. This is a significant increase compared to last year’s report and shows that millions more people are breathing unhealthy air.
3. Health Impacts: Fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, can cause severe health problems, including asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, and lung cancer. The increase in particle pollution levels poses a significant threat to public health.
4. Ozone Pollution: While ozone pollution has generally improved across the nation, more than 100 million people still live with unhealthy ozone levels. Warmer temperatures driven by climate change make ozone formation more likely and more difficult to clean up.
5. Cleanest Cities: The report also recognizes the nation’s cleanest cities, which have experienced no high ozone or particle pollution days and rank among the lowest for year-round particle pollution levels.
The ALA urges the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set stricter national limits on ozone pollution to protect public health and drive cleanup efforts. The full report is available at [website link].
