In brief
The American Lung Association indicates that approximately 46% of the U.S. population is exposed to unhealthy air quality, with significant implications for public health. The Trump administration's proposal to relax environmental protections is likely to exacerbate these issues, according to experts.
At least 156 million Americans, or about 46% of the U.S. population, are living in areas where air quality is considered unsafe due to high levels of ozone and particulate matter, according to the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association. The report highlights that plans by the Trump administration to reduce environmental regulations and funding for air quality research could further deteriorate the situation.Experts, such as Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonologist from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, emphasize the importance of the Clean Air Act in improving lung health and public health overall. The assessment, correlating air quality data gathered from 2021 to 2023, coincides with one of the most severe wildfire seasons in Canada, further impacting the air quality in the U.S.While the Clean Air Act has historically led to a significant reduction in key pollutants—almost 80% since its implementation in 1970—many Americans continue to breathe polluted air, severely affecting both chronic and acute health conditions and even increasing premature death risks.The report emphasizes troubling statistics: around 156.1 million Americans live in regions that received a failing score for at least one pollutant, and over 42 million reside in counties that did not meet any of the three air quality standards. Out of 885 counties monitored, 480 failed to meet the acceptable levels for at least one pollutant.
