PROVIDENCE – Rhode Islanders continue to breathe unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution, or smog, according to the State of the Air 2011 study released on Wednesday by the American Lung Association.
In Rhode Island, Providence County received the worst score, 5.5, for the number of high ozone days from 2007 to 2009 while Washington County trailed with a 4.5 and Kent County came in 3rd with a score of 4.0; all three counties, however, earned F’s.
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The association also looked at the number of high particle pollution days from 2007 to 2009 and gave both Kent and Providence a B for their 24-hour periods with elevated amounts and a passing grade for annual levels. Data was not collected for Washington County.
“While particle pollution – soot – levels remained somewhat improved compared to earlier years, the standards used for comparison are less stringent than ALA believes they should be, based on scientific evidence,” said the association which used calculations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the study.
Molly Clark, manager of health promotion and public policy for the ALA in Rhode Island, said the organization objects to the standards for particle pollution because the 24-hour period is too long and does not reflect shorter spikes which can be detrimental to asthma rates; a one-hour measure would be more reflective.
In Rhode Island, which includes data from only three of five counties statewide, 22,087 people have been diagnosed with pediatric asthma; 72,855 with adult asthma; 31,692 with chronic bronchitis; and 15,998 with emphysema.
The 12th annual report found that the majority of U.S. cities air pollution has improved, the ALA said citing the Clean Air Act as the reason.
“The Clean Air Act is working, based on trends nationwide, but people living in Rhode Island are still breathing levels of ozone that are dangerous,” said Clark. “Clearly, this is not the time to slow or stop the enormous progress made to reduce air pollution.”
Slightly more than half the nation, 154.5 million people, lives in areas where bad air can make them sick; when ozone is inhaled, it can cause wheezing, coughing, asthma attacks, lung damage in children and even premature death, the ALA said.
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