156 Million Americans At Risk: Air Pollution Hits Dangerous Levels! (Image Credits: iStock)
Breathing in the air across nearly half of the United States may be putting residents' health at serious risk, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. The group’s annual "State of the Air" study reveals that 156 million people are living in areas where the air quality is considered unhealthy.
Analyzing data from 2021 to 2023, the report found a troubling trend: air pollution is not improving, but actually getting worse. Compared to the previous report, an additional 25 million people are now breathing unhealthy levels of pollution — the highest number recorded in the past decade.
Climate Change Driving Air Quality Decline
Since the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, the country has seen significant improvements in air quality. However, recent years have shown signs of reversal. Laura Kate Bender, assistant vice president at the American Lung Association, told CBS News that climate change is partly to blame. "Climate change is making conditions like wildfires and extreme heat—which drive ozone pollution—worse for much of the country," Bender explained.
Cities with the Worst and Best Air Quality
Bakersfield, California, earned the unfortunate distinction of having the worst year-round and short-term particle pollution for the sixth consecutive year. It was also ranked third for the highest number of high ozone days. In contrast, Casper, Wyoming, stood out as the cleanest city for year-round particle pollution.
The report listed the top 10 cities with the worst year-round particle pollution:
Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
Wildfires and Extreme Heat Worsen Pollution Nationwide
While pollution has long been considered a major problem in the western U.S., the report warned that it is no longer a regional issue. Rising temperatures, wildfires, and extreme weather are spreading pollution across the country. In 2023, wildfire smoke from Canada led to hazardous air conditions even in the eastern U.S., including areas that are not typically prone to such events.
Kevin Stewart, the association’s environmental health director, said the findings were more alarming than anticipated. "We expected wildfire smoke to impact U.S. air quality," Stewart told CBS News. "But we were surprised by just how severely it affected the northeastern parts of the country."
Rollback of Environmental Protections Raises Concern
In another blow to environmental protections, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced plans to roll back 31 environmental rules, including regulations aimed at reducing vehicle emissions. Critics say this move could erase decades of progress. "Everything that makes our air cleaner is at risk," said Bender. "Staff cuts, funding cuts, regulation rollbacks — if they all happen, the air will get dirtier, and people’s health will suffer."
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the move, arguing that deregulation would help lower the cost of living, boost domestic energy production, and bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. He called the effort a way to "drive a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion."
Health Impacts of Dirty Air Are Serious
Health experts warn that air pollution has been linked to serious conditions like asthma, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, and cognitive decline later in life. Kezia Ofosu Atta, the Lung Association’s advocacy director, emphasised the very real human cost. "Pollution is causing asthma attacks in children, making outdoor workers sick, and even leading to low birth weights in newborns," she said.
The report also highlighted that Black Americans are disproportionately affected by air pollution, suffering higher rates of serious health problems compared to other groups.
As climate change intensifies and environmental protections are weakened, experts fear that the air millions of Americans breathe could become even more dangerous in the years ahead.
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