American Lung Association: New reports shows mixed results for Milwaukee’s air quality, residents exposed to less ozone yet more particulate matter pollution

Lung Affiliation “State of the Air” Report reveals that residents continued to face days of poor air high quality

MILWAUKEE (April 20, 2022) –The 2022 “State of the Air” report, launched in the present day by the American Lung Affiliation, finds that Milwaukee’s rankings had been combined for among the most dangerous and widespread varieties of air air pollution: particle air pollution and ozone. Milwaukee was ranked #26 within the nation as most polluted for ozone, a barely higher grade than final 12 months at #24.

“The degrees of ozone and particle air pollution seen in Milwaukee can hurt the well being of all of our residents, however significantly in danger are youngsters, older adults, pregnant folks and people residing with persistent illness,” mentioned Molly Collins, advocacy director for the Lung Affiliation. “Each ozone and particle air pollution could cause untimely demise and different severe well being results akin to bronchial asthma assaults, cardiovascular harm, and developmental and reproductive hurt. Particle air pollution may also trigger lung most cancers. Happily, the world did see an enchancment within the ranges of short-term particle air pollution.”

The “State of the Air” report is the Lung Affiliation’s annual air high quality “report card” that tracks and grades Individuals’ publicity to unhealthy ranges of ground-level ozone air air pollution (also referred to as smog), annual particle air pollution (also referred to as soot), and short-term spikes in particle air pollution, over a three-year interval. This 12 months’s report covers 2018-2020.
Floor-level Ozone Air pollution in Milwaukee

In comparison with the 2021 report, Milwaukee skilled fewer unhealthy days of excessive ozone on this 12 months’s report. The metro space diminished its unhealthy ozone days in 2018-2020 and is not on the Prime 25 rating as most polluted by ozone within the nation. “State of the Air” ranked Milwaukee because the 26^th most polluted metropolis for ozone air pollution, which is barely higher than its rating in final 12 months’s report. Nevertheless, the world nonetheless obtained an “F” grade for ozone air pollution.

Particle Air pollution in Milwaukee

The report additionally tracked short-term spikes in particle air pollution, which could be extraordinarily harmful and even deadly. Milwaukee’s short-term particle air pollution was improved on this 12 months’s report, and there have been no unhealthy days. Enchancment in brief time period particles places the world on the cleanest cities record. The 2022 “State of the Air” discovered that year-round particle air pollution ranges in Milwaukee had been larger than in final 12 months’s report. This 12 months, Milwaukee was ranked #56 most polluted for year-round particle ranges— a worse rating than final 12 months at #74.

The report discovered that nationwide, almost 9 million extra folks had been impacted by lethal particle air pollution than reported final 12 months. It additionally exhibits extra days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air high quality than ever earlier than within the two-decade historical past of this report. General, greater than 137 million Individuals stay in counties that had unhealthy ranges of ozone or particle air pollution. Communities of colour are disproportionately uncovered to unhealthy air. The report discovered that individuals of colour had been 61% extra possible than white folks to stay in a county with a failing grade for a minimum of one pollutant, and three.6 instances as more likely to stay in a county with a failing grade for all three pollution.
The addition of 2020 information to the 2022 “State of the Air” report provides a primary take a look at air high quality tendencies through the COVID-19 pandemic. Whatever the shutdowns in early 2020, there was no apparent enchancment.
The Lung Affiliation is asking on the Biden administration to strengthen the nationwide limits on each short-term and year-round particulate matter air air pollution. Stronger requirements will educate the general public about air air pollution ranges that threaten their well being and drive the cleanup of polluting sources in communities throughout the nation. See the total report outcomes and signal the petition at Lung.org/SOTA.