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New Yorkers are breathing harmful air into their lungs every day according to a new report.
The American Lung Association of New York recently released their annual report on air quality in the Empire State finding that seven of 33 counties received failing grades.
Among the report’s findings, Queens County scored badly in ozone and particle pollution and received an ‘F’ in overall air quality.
The study, in its ninth straight year grades cities for three types of air pollution: Short-term particle pollution, year-round particle pollution and ozone pollution.
The report also ranks U.S. cities and counties with the dirtiest air and issues county by county report cards on the most pervasive pollutants; particle pollution-soot-and ozone-smog.
Findings are based on air quality monitoring devices, dispersed throughout the state and nation.
Michael Seilback, senior director of Public Policy and Advocacy, said the findings tell a cautionary tale.
“These illustrate far too many New Yorkers are being forced to breathe unhealthy air everyday,” he said.
In Queens, overall air quality received a failing grade and the county also scored an ‘F’ for short-term particle pollution. The grade reflects the number of days in the year with a dangerous level of soot in the air.
The report ranked the New York City metropolitan area eighth out of 10 cities most polluted by ozone.
Ozone pollution is formed when tiny particles mix with extreme heat and sun, creating a hazy mist on the horizon of major urban centers.
Particle pollution, or soot is made up of tiny particles much smaller than a human hair that can get into lungs and eat into the lungs in an abrasive manner.
Both have significantly damaging effects for lung health.
Ozone or smog inhalation is depicted by Seilback as “like getting sunburn on your lung tissue. Particle pollution or soot is described as having the “effect of sand paper on your lungs”, he said.
Particle pollution occurs year-round, with ozone a problem only during hot or sunny days.
This year Queens improved for ozone from a ‘D’ grade to a ‘C’.
According to Mr. Seilback, this is improvement, with a twist.
“It‘s encouraging,” he said, but cautioned against calling it progress. “I don’t think any parent is thrilled when their child brings home a ‘C’, but improvement is always a good thing.”
He also mentioned that there may be overall improvement in air quality, even though it remains harmful.
“There’s definitely less pollution in this report,” Mr. Seilback said, “but we can’t say for sure there is less pollution overall.”
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