New Report Shows 44% of US Population Exposed to Harmful Pollution

Roughly 44% of the US population, including nearly half of those under 18, reside in areas with unhealthy levels of pollution, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).

The Report: The ALA's latest State of the Air report assessed air quality across the country by measuring the presence of ozone pollution (smog) and presence of particle pollution (soot) in the air over short-term and long-term periods. The study took place between 2022-2024. It found over 61 million people lived in counties that earned "F" grades for unhealthy short-term spikes in soot pollution, with another 75 million lived in counties with "F" grades for year-round soot pollution. Nearly 4 million more people were also breathing in unhealthy levels of smog compared to between 2021-2023. At the same time, about 15.6 million fewer people were exposed to short-term particle pollution. 

Impact on Children: Roughly 33.5 million children–or about 46% of those under 18–were found to live in areas with a failing grade for at least one of three air pollution measurements. Seven million lived in areas with all three. In a press release, the ALA reported that "infants, children and teens are more susceptible to the health impacts of air pollution." Some of these include reduced lung growth, asthma attacks, strokes, heart attacks, premature births and impaired cognitive functioning later in life.

Areas Most Impacted: According to the report, extreme heat and smoke contributed to pollution in many parts of the country, including Minnesota, Texas, and California. Causes of these included wildfires, wood-burning stoves, coal-fired power plants and diesel engines, among other sources. Minority groups were more likely to live in these areas, with Hispanics almost three times as likely.

How the Media Covered It: The report was covered more widely by local news outlets. Several left-leaning outlets that covered the story focused on individual states' rankings, while outlets in the Center generally focused on the country as a whole and the impact on children. AllSides found original coverage from two right-leaning outlets, The Washington Times (Lean Right bias) and The National Desk (Right). Most outlets noted the Trump administration's rollback of environmental regulations. 

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