State air improves
Ozone levels are starting to improve in Massachusetts. In the American Lung Association 2007 State of the Air report, released on May 1, the number of high ozone days across Massachusetts is starting to decline. This is an improvement for Massachusetts air quality; however, particle pollution days are increasing. "Our improved ozone grades are certainly good news, but the increase in partical pollution days causes some worry," said Jeffrey Seyler, CEO of the American Lung Association of Massachusetts.
Each county is given a grade rating their ozone hazard and particle pollution days for the year. For the second year in a row Worcester County's ozone grade has improved. In 2005 they received an F, now they are one of the highest rated counties in Massachusetts, barely passing with a C.
Middlesex was the only other county to receive a C on this year's report. Suffolk County's ozone days also improved to rise from an F to a D; Berkshire County also received a D for the second year in a row. In terms of particle pollution days, Massachusetts' grades have remained the same, with the exception of Berkshire County dropping from a B to a C. Overall the particle pollution grades are much higher than the ozone grades.
The State of the Air report gives these grades based on the number of high ozone days or particle pollution days in each county. This information is rated on a color scale, green meaning good; yellow meaning moderate; orange meaning unhealthy for sensitive groups; red meaning unhealthy purple meaning very unhealthy; and brown meaning hazardous.
Massachusetts is broken down into three of those categories, orange, red and purple. Over the past three years, the number of high ozone days in each of these categories has receded. In 2005, there were 147 orange days across Massachusetts, 2006 had 113 days and 2007 has had 96 days. In the red category, 2005 had 36 days, 2006 had 25 days and 2007 has had only four. Although many of the counties in Massachusetts are still receiving failing grades for high ozone days, there is improvement. In terms of particle pollution change, both the red and purple categories have remained the same as in previous years; however, the number of orange ranked particle pollution days has increased from 2006's 45 days to 2007's 61 days across the state.
"The good news is that there's less ozone here and throughout most of the United States. Yet, we remain concerned because the science shows that millions are still at risk from ozone pollution," said Seyler. "Breathing ozone smog threatens serious health risks, including new evidence that links it to premature death," he said.
"So to really protect Massachusetts residents from ozone smog, we need EPA to set new standards for ozone at levels that would protect public health as the Clean Air Act requires."
Ozone is an extremely reactive gas molecule composed of three oxygen atoms; it is also the primary ingredient of smog air pollution and is very harmful to breathe. "As a state, we certainly still have a long way to go to have air that is safe for everyone to breathe. Science clearly shows that air pollution is dangerous even deadly at levels we once thought were safe," said Seyler.
To see the grade for the air quality in your community in the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007 report and learn how you can protect yourself and your family from air pollution, go to www.lungusa.org. While you're there, you can send a message to the U.S. EPA to set more protective standards for ozone and other pollutants.
Nationwide, 46 percent (136 million people) of the U.S. population lives in 251 counties where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the form of either ozone or short-term or year-round levels of particles.
About 38.3 million Americans nearly one in eight people live in 32 counties with unhealthful levels of all three: ozone and short-term and year-round particle pollution. One-third of the U.S. population lives in areas with unhealthful levels of ozone, a significant reduction since the last report when nearly half did, yet that still means 99 million Americans live in counties with F grades for ozone.
Roughly one in three (more than 93.7 million) people in the United States lives in an area with unhealthful short-term levels of particle pollution, a significant increase since the last report, which is only partially due to the new, slightly lower threshold of unhealthful air recognized in this report (based on the newly adopted standards). Nearly one in five (more than 54 million) people in the United States lives in an area with unhealthful year-round levels of particle pollution.
With Ozone pollution dropping in the eastern U.S., several cities returned to the list of most polluted cities despite improved ozone levels, including Atlanta, Phoenix and Baton Rouge. They reappeared because of greater improvements by other cities. Some cities moved up to the worst cities for ozone list for the first time, including Las Vegas, Milwaukee and Kansas City.
"The American Lung Association is fighting for tougher federal standards because they protect Americans from dangerous levels of air pollution," Seyler said. "Air pollution shortens lifespan, it lands our children and elderly in emergency rooms, and it can make children and teens more vulnerable to lung disease for the rest of their lives."
For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 800-LUNG-USA or log on to www.lungusa.org.
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