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130 Million Americans Routinely Breathe Unhealthy Air, Report Finds

Summary

The latest State of the Air report by the American Lung Association reveals that over one-third of Americans, approximately 130 million people, regularly inhale unhealthy air, marking an increase from previous years. Despite significant efforts to improve air quality in the United States, exacerbated by climate change, challenges persist. Wildfire smoke, a consequence of climate change, significantly contributes to dangerous fine particle pollution in the air, particularly impacting Western states like California and Colorado. While significant progress has been made since the enactment of the Clean Air Act in 1970, recent years have seen interruptions in air quality improvements, especially in the West, where unprecedented levels of pollution were recorded in 2023. This underscores the need for simultaneous action on reducing carbon emissions and implementing stringent air pollution regulations to safeguard public health.

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