‘State of the Air’ report: Oregon fares worse in some areas, better in others
Bend-Prineville area improves in ranking for short-term particle pollution
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The American Lung Association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report, released Tuesday, found that the air pollution in several Oregon areas worsened, while some areas made modest improvements.
The Lung Association’s annual air quality “report card” tracks Americans’ exposure to unhealthy levels of particle pollution and ozone during a three-year period.
The Portland-Vancouver-Salem air quality is now ranked as the 24th most-polluted metro area in the nation for short-term particle pollution, worse than last year.
Additionally, Klamath County is now the 18th most polluted county in the nation for annual particle pollution. This is the county’s worst ranking in the history of the report and the first time it received an F grade for air quality. In Klamath County and around the state, wildfire smoke is a significant source of particle pollution in Oregon. Wintertime wood smoke also contributes to unhealthy air.
“Trends of increasing wildfires in Oregon and neighboring states are consistent with trends seen in a warming climate,” said Julian Dillon, executive director for the American Lung Association in Oregon. “Exposure to wildfire smoke place our health and our lives at risk.”
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which has been responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality. We still have much work to do to ensure everyone has clean, healthy air to breathe,” said Dillon. “With nearly half of Americans breathing unhealthy air nationwide, this report shows that because of climate change, we’re heading in wrong direction when it comes to protecting public health.”
Some areas in Oregon did see improvement. The Bend-Pineville area improved from 22nd to 26th most-polluted area for short-term particle pollution, and Eugene improved from 19th to 22nd most-polluted for short term particle pollution.
The Medford-Grants Pass area is now ranked as the 20th most polluted for year-round particle pollution; this area ranked 10th in last year’s report. The better ranking, and better average is due in part to incomplete data. For the first time ever, Josephine County received an F grade in the report.
Each year, this report provides grades 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 asthma attacks and cardiovascular damage.
This year’s report covers 2016, 2017 and 2018, the years with the most recent quality-assured data available collected by states, cities, counties, tribes and federal agencies. Notably, those three years were among the five hottest recorded in global history.
Rising temperatures lead to increased levels of ozone pollution. Changing climate patterns also fuel wildfires and their dangerous smoke, which increase particle pollution. Ozone and particle pollution threaten everyone, especially children, older adults and people living with a lung disease. Although this report does not cover data from 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of air pollution on lung health is of heightened concern. Learn more about that at Lung.org/covid-19.
“We all have the right to breathe clean, healthy air,” said Dillon. “We must stand up for clean air, especially to safeguard our vulnerable community members. Our leaders, both here in Oregon and federally, must take immediate action to ward off climate change and other threats to the quality of the air we all breathe.”
Learn more about Oregon’s rankings, as well as air quality across the nation, at Lung.org/sota.
