The two cities with the cleanest air, according to the EPA, are both in Hawaii. Washington counties, meanwhile, received an F for its grade.
Top Cities for Cleanest Air Goes to Hawaii
The top two cities in the nation for clean air are Kahului and Urban Honolulu.
Rankings are based on particle pollution levels gathered and computed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the previous three years.
The Executive Director of ALA Hawaii, Pedro Haro, stated that the report gathers and combines all of that information to be able to provide a composite of where the air in Hawaii stands.
Air pollutants that are notorious for hanging around more heavily populated areas include burning fuels, car exhaust, and urban congestion.
But here in Hawaii, trade winds carry a lot of that pollution to the oceans. However, this does not imply that the state's air quality conditions are free of particular island-specific pollutants.
State of the Air Report
According to fresh information included in the American Lung Association's 2023 "State of the Air Report," this is the case.
The study examined the nation's air quality and gathered information from air monitors in over 900 counties. Every year, the American Lung Association publishes a report card, and this year's report has some good news and some bad news.
Maui is a Different Story
Haro went on to say that Maui County has received a C grade for 24-hour particle pollution, which is regrettable given the recent brush fires that have occurred in the area.
However, after the most recent eruptions of Mauna Loa and Kilauea, improvements in other parts of the state, specifically Hawaii County, have helped stabilize the overall air quality of the state.
Haro concluded by saying that because vog affects all the islands in addition to Hawaii Island, it is now beginning to clear up on that island, KITV4 Island Television reports.
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Washington Counties and Their Fs
The smoky summer wildfire season in Washington seems like a long time ago. Despite the smoke clearing, the effects continue to be felt in the neighborhood.
And the American Lung Association, in its 2023 State of the Air report, attributes the "F" grade for air quality given to nearly a dozen Washington counties to that wildfire smoke.
Ozone pollution is getting better, but particle pollution isn't, as evidenced by the "F" grade that 11 counties in Washington State received for their particle pollution.
The American Lung Association's senior director of advocacy, Carrie Nyssen, stated that many counties received Fs due to particle pollution, almost all of which was caused by wildfire smoke. There is also some wood smoke from people heating their homes to combat the harsh temperatures of the winter.
There is one exception, though. Particle pollution was graded as "A" in Skagit County.
According to Nyssen, the topography is much flatter, making it easy for weather patterns to come in and sweep the bad air out, preventing the region from experiencing the same problems.
Bellingham, located further north in Whatcom County, was ranked as the sixth-cleanest US city by annual particle pollution and tied for first among the nation's cleanest metropolitan areas for ozone.
Our lung health is also negatively impacted by wildfire smoke, in addition to our air quality, KOMO News reports.
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