HOMETOWN HEALTH: Millions of children living with dangerous air pollution, report finds

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – More than 152 million Americans are living in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s 27th annual “State of the Air” report.

“We’ve made tremendous progress in cleaning the air over those 27 years, but we still have a long way to go,” said Will Barrett, nationwide clean air advocacy director for the American Lung Association.

The report tracks ground-level ozone, also known as smog, and short and long-term particle pollution. Particle pollution is a mixture of solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air and includes dust, dirt, soot and smoke.

Health impacts

Air pollution can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and preterm births. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer.

By 2050, researchers predict there could be an increase of up to 4,300 premature deaths a year in the U.S. due to these pollutants.

“Today, nearly half of all children in the United States live in a community impacted by unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, or both,” Barrett said.

Children at higher risk

Children and teens are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution exposure because their lungs are still developing and they tend to spend more time outdoors being active.

To mitigate exposure, experts recommend being aware of local conditions, checking daily forecasts for air quality and taking action to reduce exposures where possible.

“The other way we can be involved is to use our voice to really look at ways that we can convey to our local policymakers, whether city council or state legislators or even to the EPA that we need more progress on clean air, not less,” Barrett said.

Disparities in exposure

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report also finds people of color in the U.S. are more than twice as likely than a white person to live in a community with a failing grade on all three measures of pollution: air pollution, smog and soot.

The Hispanic population is more than three times as likely as white individuals to live in those heavily polluted areas.