NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Air quality in the Tri-State Area has improved slightly but still remains broadly poor according to the American Lung Association’s annual air quality report, the State of the Air.
The report, which analyzed data from 2018 to 2020, found Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island and Westchester all got failing grades for ozone pollution. Staten Island managed to improve from a F to a D in this field.
Ozone can cause lung damage and throat irritation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It exacerbates respiratory diseases and makes it harder for the body to fight respiratory infections like coronavirus. It can damage pregnancies and do lasting harm to children.
Ozone is generated by a mix of high temperatures and pollutants emitted from fossil fuel power plants and gas-powered vehicles.
Scaling back motor vehicle use and supporting public transit would improve ozone levels in the Tri-State Area, but rising temperatures are here to stay as the effects of climate change become more severe.
Despite its poor ozone rating, New York City and surrounding areas continued to receive good particle pollution grades.
Manhattan got a B grade and the other boroughs got As — the same grades as the previous report.
Bergen and Passaic counties also got As for particle pollution. Bergen earned an F for ozone pollution, and Passaic was rated C.
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