Roanoke drops in clean air rankings, American Lung Association report reveals
Roanoke, Virginia – The American Lung Association has published its latest State of the Air Report for Roanoke and its surrounding areas, revealing a decline in air quality in the region. Once ranked among the cleanest cities, Roanoke now shares the 118th position for the most polluted cities.
The report shows that the short-term and year-round particle pollution has worsened in the region. The American Lung Association measures daily particle pollution and year-round averages, and Roanoke has dropped from an A grade to a B grade.
While nationwide, 120 million people live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, Roanoke has been able to maintain its clean ranking for ozone pollution for seven consecutive years. The report highlights that Roanoke had zero unhealthy days of high ozone, and low levels of ozone were detected in every day that monitoring data was collected during 2019-2021, as per the health standard set by EPA.
According to Kevin Stewart, Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association, the declining air quality is a widespread problem that is being witnessed across the country. Smoke from wildfires that occurred in the far West and even southwestern Canada may be responsible for the worsening situation. However, the American Lung Association recommends taking steps to cut all harmful pollutants and transmission to zero-emission vehicles to improve the air quality.
The American Lung Association emphasizes that even one poor air quality day poses a high risk to children, older adults, pregnant women, and those living with chronic diseases. Therefore, it is essential to address the issue and enact policies that promote cleaner air for everyone. The Clean Air Act has helped in reducing ozone pollution in the region, and more such measures can make Roanoke and other cities breathe easier.
