Americans Breathing Unclean Air

As many as 60% Americans or 175 million individuals stay in places where pollution levels touch “Dangerous Levels”. This was stated by a report made by the American Lung Association.

If you live in Los Angeles you are likely to suffer the nation’s worst ozone pollution, it is reported. Though over all particle pollution has been checked to an extent, Bakersfield, Calif., is thought to have the most particle pollution in the short term though the air quality is much improved since 1990.

All the year round, it is Arizona, more particularly Phoenix that has the worst particle pollution.

However, the report has been criticised for the methodology used and it is claimed that Phoenix has far lower levels of pollution than are claimed.

Benjamin H. Grumbles, environmental quality director, Arizona stated that progress was being made on dust and ozone in the Phoenix area; just not as fast as required.

The cities that were named the ‘cleanest’ in terms of air quality were Fargo, N.D., Wahpeton, N.D., and Lincoln, Neb.

The reason pollution levels of soot and dust have gone down are:

  • Cleaner diesel engines
  • Controls on coal fired electricity plants

Source: Boston