The annual “State of the Air” report researchers based their findings on levels of ozone (or smog) and particle pollution (when dirt, dust, soot or smoke mixes with liquid droplets in the air) found in particular areas. Cuyahoga County pulled in a B grade for daily particle pollution and a solid F for high ozone days.
“Ohio residents should be aware that we’re breathing unhealthy air, driven by emissions from power plants and extreme heat as a result of climate change, placing our health and lives at risk,” Ken Fletcher, Director of Advocacy of the Lung Association in Ohio, told Fox 8.
Risks are especially high for those with asthma, lung cancer, diabetes, cadriovascular disease and anyone under 18 or older than 65. Poverty has also been found to be a risk factor.
The study found more hazardous air quality days nationwide than ever in the past 20 years of Lung Association reporting. And Cuyahoga County is not alone with its bill of bad health assessment, as only six areas nationally were awarded “cleanest” ranking in the report.
So if you want to breathe freely and cleanly head to:
Bangor, Maine
Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont
Honolulu, Hawaii
Lincoln-Beatrice, Nebraska
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida
Wilmington, North Carolina
Read the entire report card, which used data pulled from 2015-2017 air quality findings, right here.
Find ways to protect yourself from potentially harmful air right here.
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This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2019.
And yet another blackeye for this lovely city!!! And what might Taxin Jackson or thief Budish do about this???
Nothing of course!!!
That is except to raise our already outrageously high taxes to come up with another million dollar study for consultants as to how to deal with this issue!!!
Until these crooks are finally recalled from office and sent right to jail, nothing will likely ever change around here except more and more taxes!!!
C’mon Scene, you’re like the bizzaro PD here, reporting only the worst possible version. The report says we’re don’t even rank for ozone or high intensity pollution days, which are the high risk types of pollution. You’re only citing the rank for annual average, which includes pollen levels, and for which the advocacy group still gives a passing grade to all counties in Greater Cleveland. And they said we had our lowest annual pollution rates in recorded history last year.