Nearly half of US children are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, report warns
Summary
Nearly half of all children in the United States are living in areas with unsafe air pollution levels, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. The report found that pollution is worse in communities of color and linked the problem to factors like climate change, wildfires, and recent government rollbacks of environmental protections.Key Facts
- 33.5 million U.S. children (46%) live in places with unhealthy air pollution in at least one category.
- 7 million children (10%) live in areas that failed all three major pollution measures.
- Communities of color face worse pollution and are more vulnerable to related diseases like asthma and heart problems.
- 38% of the U.S. population experienced unhealthy ozone (smog) levels between 2022-2024.
- Climate change, wildfires, and high temperatures are increasing ozone pollution.
- Southwestern and midwestern states are most affected by high ozone levels, partly due to wildfire smoke from Canada.
- Data centers contribute to pollution by using electricity from fossil fuels and running diesel backup generators.
- Recent Environmental Protection Agency rollbacks have reduced air quality protections, worsening pollution problems.
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