American Lung Association’s annual air quality report finds nearly half of Americans breathing unhealthy air
The American Lung Association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report found Chattanooga ranked tied for 93rd in the nation for ozone pollution, tied for its best ever.
The Lung Association’s annual air quality “report card” tracks Americans’ exposure during a three-year period to the two most widespread outdoor air pollutants: ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). This year’s report covers the most recent quality-assured data available collected by states, cities, counties, tribes and federal agencies in 2016-2018.
Ozone Pollution
Compared to the 2019 report, Chattanooga experienced fewer high ozone days in 2016-2018 with only 1.7 weighted days on average. This is remarkable improvement over its worst report of 63.3 weighted days in 1998-2000, as counted under the 2015 ozone pollution standard.
“Ozone pollution can harm even healthy people, but is particularly dangerous for children, older adults and people with lung diseases like COPD or asthma,” said Dr. Aaron Milstone, M.D., F.C.C.P., pulmonologist at Williamson Medical Center. “Breathing ozone-polluted air can trigger asthma attacks in both adults and children with asthma, which can land them in the doctor’s office or the emergency room. Ozone can also result in serious health effects such as cardiovascular damage and developmental and reproductive harm.”
This report documents that warmer temperatures brought by a changing climate are making ozone more likely to form and harder to clean up. Significantly more people nationally suffered unhealthy ozone pollution in the 2020 report than in the last three “State of the Air” reports.
Particle Pollution
“State of the Air” 2020 also found that the metro area had its best report yet for year-round particle pollution, posting its lowest ever average for the 13th consecutive year.
“Year-round particle pollution levels had dropped in recent years thanks to the cleanup of coal-fired power plants and the retirement of old, dirty diesel engines. However, the increase we’ve seen nationally in particle pollution in this year’s report is a troubling reminder that we must increase our efforts to reduce this dangerous pollution,” said Christine Hart, Healthy Air Campaign Manager at the American Lung Association in Tennessee.
“Particle pollution can lodge deep in the lungs and can even enter the bloodstream. It can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes and cause lung cancer,” said Dr. Milstone.
In tracking short-term spikes in particle pollution, the report found that Chattanooga’s metro area remained unchanged, having 2.2 weighted days of unhealthy levels of particle pollution.
Protecting Your Health
Ozone and particle pollution threaten everyone, especially children, older adults and people living with a lung disease. Although this report does not cover data from 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of air pollution on lung health is of heightened concern. Learn more about that at lung.org/covid-19.
The American Lung Association advises Tennesseans to pay attention to the daily air quality index (AQI) to know when to take extra precautions to protect your health. You can check the AQI for your zip code at airnow.gov. On bad air days, it is important to limit outdoor activity to prevent possible asthma attacks, coughing, wheezing or even heart attacks.
“We all have the right to breathe clean, healthy air. The 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act serves as a critical reminder that Tennesseans breathe healthier air today because of this landmark law,” said Ms. Hart. “At the same time, this year’s report shows that we must stand up for clean air – especially to safeguard our most vulnerable community members. Our leaders, both here in Tennessee and at the federal level, must take immediate, significant action to prevent extreme weather events and other threats to the quality of the air we all breathe.”
While the report examined data from 2016-2018, this 21st annual report also provides air pollution trends back to the first report. Learn more about Chattanooga’s rankings, as well as air quality across Tennessee and the nation, in the 2020 “State of the Air” report at lung.org/sota.