The American Lung Association’s 2018 “State of the Air” report found Louisiana has earned improved grades for the nation’s most widespread air pollutants. Compared to the 2017 report, Louisiana has seen a cut in ozone pollution slightly. This is in spite of a trend seen across the nation of higher ozone pollution levels. Munroe, Ruston, and Bastrop experienced zero unhealthy days of high ozone and rank on the cleanest cities list for ozone pollution. Several cities including Alexandria, Houma, Thibodaux, Lafayette, Opelousas, Morgan City, Lake Charles, Jennings, Monroe, Ruston, Bastrop, New Orleans, Metairie, Hammond, Shreveport, and Bossier City were named among the cleanest cities for short-term particle pollution and experienced zero unhealthy air days.
Baton Rouge saw increased levels of year-round particle pollution and tied 58th for most polluted city in the nation for year-round particle pollution. Year-round particle pollution in New Orleans was slightly worse but still met the national standard and was tied 66th most polluted city for year-round particle pollution.
“The 2018 ‘State of the Air’ report finds that unhealthful levels of year-round pollution in Louisiana put our citizens at risk for premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma attacks and greater difficulty breathing for those living with a lung disease like COPD. Such high levels of year-round particle pollution mean our citizens also face an increased risk for lung cancer,” said Ashley Lyerly, regional director of public policy of the American Lung Association. “Across the nation, the report found continued improvement in air quality, but still, more than four in 10 Americans – 133.9 million – live in counties that have unhealthful levels of either ozone or particle pollution, where their health is at risk.”
The trends reported in this year’s report, which covers data collected by states, cities, counties, tribes, and federal agencies in 2014-2016, reflect the ongoing challenges to reduce each pollutant in the changing political and outdoor climate.
“We can and should do more to save lives,” Lyerly said. “The Lung Association in Louisiana calls on our members of Congress to defend the Clean Air Act, currently under threat from those who want to weaken this effective public health law. We also call on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement and enforce the law instead of trying to roll back major safeguards like the Clean Power Plan and cleaner cars, both steps that help us fight climate change and reduce air pollution.”
Each year the “State of the Air” provides a report card on the two most widespread outdoor air pollutants, ozone pollution, also known as smog, and particle pollution, also called soot. The report analyzes particle pollution in two ways: through average annual particle pollution levels and short-term spikes in particle pollution. Both ozone and particle pollution are dangerous to public health and can increase the risk of premature death and other serious health effects such as lung cancer, asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm.