American Lung Association Report: 46% of U.S. Children in Areas Failing at Least One Air Quality Measure

The American Lung Association released its 27th annual air quality report on Wednesday, finding that nearly half of children in the United States are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution. The report evaluates pollution across the country by grading levels of ground-level ozone, year-round particle pollution, and short-term spikes in particle pollution.

Ground-level ozone is also known as smog, while particle pollution is commonly referred to as soot.

The analysis used quality-assured data collected between 2022 and 2024. , representing 46 percent of those under 18, live in areas that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution. , live in communities that failed all three measures of air pollution.

Will Barrett, assistant vice president of the ALA’s Nationwide Clean Air Policy, stated: “Children’s lungs are still developing. For their body size, they’re breathing more air. Grist reported that the American Lung Association report comes amid the EPA’s expansive rollback of environmental protections.

The story was originally published by the Guardian and reproduced by Grist as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.