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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - For the first time, Boston gets a passing grade for ozone pollution from the American Lung Association's annual "State of the Air" report.
The 2023 report covers a three year period from 2019-2021 and looked at Americans exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution, annual particle pollution and short-term spikes in particle pollution over the same three year period.
It found the city of Boston's air quality is improving when it comes to levels of ozone pollution. But it wasn't all good news, the report found several counties across the state had worsened levels of particle pollution.
"Here in Massachusetts and across the nation, we are seeing ozone pollution improving, thanks in a big part to the success of the Clean Air Act. But there is more work to do," said Dan Fitzgerald, Director of Advocacy for the Lung Association. "Even one poor air quality day is one too many for our residents at highest risk, such as children, older adults, individuals who are pregnant, and those living with chronic disease. That's why we are calling on governor Healey and the state legislature to continue to take action to ensure that everyone has clean air to breathe. The Lung Association applauds the Commonwealth on recent bold action to cut transportation pollution by adopting the Advanced Clean Cars II policy to ensure all passenger vehicles sold in Massachusetts will be zero-emission by 2035. This action is vital to cutting harmful air and climate pollution and will yield major health benefits across the Bay State."
Boston earned the 52nd spot for most polluted city for ozone pollution, slightly better than last year's ranking of 47th. Bristol, Essex, Plymouth, and Hampshire counties all saw improved grades for levels of ozone.
When it comes to particle pollution, Boston's short-term particle pollution got worse, meaning there were more unhealthy air quality days than years before. The city ranked 96 most polluted for year-round particle pollution, superior to last year's 86. And it's not just Boston, ten out of twelve counties were given B grades this year after scoring an A grade in last year's report.
On the national level, the report found on a whole, ozone pollution has generally improved. However it also found more than one in three people in the U.S. live within counties that have unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. What's more, the report highlighted people of color were 64 percent more likely to live in a county with a failing grade then those who identify as White.
Now the American Lung Association is putting out a call to President Biden to move forward on several measures to tackle air pollution on a national level, including new limits on ozone and particle pollution, as well as a number of measures to clean up power plants and vehicles.
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