US air quality worsens, nearly half of the population breathing dirty air

The United States is experiencing its worst year in terms of healthcare as the country is still battling hard to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak. A newly released report shows the air quality in the country has dramatically worsened than in previous years. According to the report, around 150 million people in the United States are breathing unhealthy and heavily polluted air. The report came amid the lockdown that has forced high polluting facilities in the country to shut down and put a restriction on travel by air or road.  

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The report

The American Lung Association's report titled 'State of the Air 2020' says, "too many cities across the nation increased the number of days when particle pollution, often called 'soot,' soared to often record-breaking levels. More cities suffered from higher numbers of days when ground-level ozone, also known as 'smog,' reached unhealthy levels. Many cities saw their year-round levels of particle pollution increase as well."

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The report further elaborates, "Nearly five in 10 people (45.8 per cent) in the United States live in counties with unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution. Approximately 150 million Americans live in these 257 counties with unhealthful levels of either ozone or short-term or year-round particles."

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The top-10 most polluted cities by short-term particle pollution are Fresno-Madera-Hanford, Bakersfield, San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, Fairbanks, Yakima, Los Angeles, Missoula, Redding-Red Bluff, Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, Phoenix-Mesa. Meanwhile, the cleanest counties according to the report are Hillsborough, Rockingham, Atlantic, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer and Middlesex. 

The report was prepared by Deb Brown, lead the Mission Team, Paul G. Billings, supervised the work, Janice E. Nolen, M.A., who directed the project, analyzed data, wrote the text and coordinated print and web presentations, Kevin M. Stewart, assisted in the data analysis, writing and coordination of the report content and metro area assessments. 

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(Image Credit: AP)