In an annual report published by the American Lung Association, more than one-third of Americans live in places with unhealthy air pollution levels. There are 19 million fewer Americans living in these areas according to the 24th State of the Air report.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracks ozone levels and particle pollution, which are both categorized into daily averages and daily spikes. As defined by the report, particle pollution, or soot, is the accumulation of tiny particles in the air that come from a variety of sources. Among the sources are factories, power plants, motor vehicles, and forest fires. By interacting with sunlight and heat, pollutants, commonly from the burning of fossil fuels, create ozone, also known as smog.
As a result of the publication of the annual report, the most polluted cities on the East Coast have shifted to the West Coast. A decrease in particle pollution and an improvement in ozone pollution have been attributed to this change.
Visit the EPA website to learn more about air quality in your community.