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Florida's Air Quality Shows Mixed Rankings for Ozone, Particle Pollution, Finds 2020 ‘State of the Air' Report

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 21, 2020) –The American Lung Association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report found several cities earned mixed rankings for the nation’s most widespread air pollutants—ozone and particle pollution—both of which can be deadly. Gainesville, Lake City, Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville were named on the cleanest cities list for short-term and year-round particle pollution after experiencing zero unhealthy air days.

The Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro tied 14th in the nation for the cleanest city in the nation in year-round particle pollution ahead of the Gainesville-Lake City metro area which tied 23rd.

However, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, St. Lucie, Orlando, Lakeland, Deltona, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater all experienced more unhealthy air days of ozone in this year’s report.

The Lung Association’s annual air quality “report card” tracks Americans’ exposure to unhealthful levels of particle pollution and ozone during a three-year period. Once again, the report found that nearly half of all Americans were exposed to unhealthy air in 2016-2018. In Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater ozone pollution placed the health of residents at risk, including those who are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution such as older adults, children and those with a lung disease. 

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which has been responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality. However, Florida residents are breathing more unhealthy air compared to last year’s report, driven by extreme heat as a result of climate change, placing our health and lives at risk,” said American Lung Association Director of Advocacy, Ashley Lyerly.

Each year the “State of the Air” provides a report card on the two most widespread outdoor air pollutants, ozone pollution, also known as smog, and particle pollution, also called soot. The report analyzes particle pollution in two ways: through average annual particle pollution levels and short-term spikes in particle pollution. Both ozone and particle pollution are dangerous to public health and can increase the risk of premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer, and new research links air pollution to the development of serious diseases, such as asthma and dementia.

This year’s report covers 2016, 2017 and 2018, the years with the most recent quality-assured data available collected by states, cities, counties, tribes and federal agencies. Notably, those three years were among the five hottest recorded in global history. Rising temperatures lead to increased levels of ozone pollution. Changing climate patterns also fuel wildfires and their dangerous smoke, which increase particle pollution. Ozone and particle pollution threaten everyone, especially children, older adults and people living with a lung disease. Although this report does not cover data from 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of air pollution on lung health is of heightened concern. Learn more about that at Lung.org/covid-19.

Ozone Pollution in Florida

Compared to the 2019 report, Jacksonville and Palatka experienced fewer unhealthy days of high ozone in this year’s report. The metro area tied 153rd for the most polluted city for ozone and continued its best levels.

Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater ranked 68th for the most polluted city in the nation for ozone and experienced more unhealthy air days.

Ozone levels worsened for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-St. Lucie metro (T-81st) and the Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona metro area (T-84th).

“Ozone pollution can harm even healthy people, but is particularly dangerous for children, older adults and people with lung diseases like COPD or asthma,” said Lyerly. “Breathing ozone-polluted air can trigger asthma attacks in both adults and children with asthma, which can land them in the doctor’s office or the emergency room. Ozone can even shorten people’s lives.”

This report documents that warmer temperatures brought by climate change are making ozone more likely to form and harder to clean up. Significantly more people suffered unhealthy ozone pollution in the 2020 report than in the last three “State of the Air” reports.

Particle Pollution in Florida

“State of the Air” 2020 found that year-round particle pollution levels in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-St. Lucie metro (T-116th) and Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona metro (T-150th) were slightly higher than in last year’s report.

Year-round particle pollution levels in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (T-120th) metro were slightly lower in this year’s report.

The Jacksonville-Palatka area had insufficient data to calculate an official average. The metro tied for 121st in year-round particle pollution in the 2018 report.

“Particle pollution can lodge deep in the lungs and can even enter the bloodstream. It can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes and cause lung cancer,” said Lyerly. Particle pollution comes from coal-fired power plants, diesel emissions, wildfires, and wood-burning devices.

“Year-round particle pollution levels had dropped in recent years thanks to the cleanup of coal-fired power plants and the retirement of old, dirty diesel engines. However, the increase we’ve seen nationally in particle pollution in this year’s report is a troubling reminder that we must increase our efforts to reduce this dangerous pollution,” said Lyerly.

“State of the Air” 2020 also tracked short-term spikes in particle pollution, which can be extremely dangerous and even lethal. The report found that many cities had fewer days when short-term particle pollution reached unhealthy levels.

The metro area of Orlando-Lakeland-Deltona, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Gainesville-Lake City, North Port-Sarasota, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Pensacola-Ferry Pass, and Tallahassee were named to the cleanest cities list for short-term particle days.

The Miami-Fort. Lauderdale-Port St. Lucie area and Jacksonville-Palatka metro both remained unchanged from last year’s report. Both metro areas continued its best levels ever and tied 84th for the most polluted city for short-term unhealthy air days.

“We all have the right to breathe clean, healthy air. The 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act serves as a critical reminder that Americans breathe healthier air today because of this landmark law,” said Lyerly. “At the same time, this year’s report shows that we must stand up for clean air – especially to safeguard our most vulnerable community members. Our leaders, both here in Florida and at the federal level, must take immediate, significant action to ward off climate change and other threats to the quality of the air we all breathe.”

While the report examined data from 2016-2018, this 21st annual report also provides air pollution trends back to the first report. Learn more about city rankings, as well as air quality across Florida and the nation, in the 2020 “State of the Air” report at Lung.org/sota. 

About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.