National Report Shows Improved Air Quality in Parts of South Carolina

Charleston, S.C. (April 28, 2010)—

The American Lung Association released its 11th annual State of the Air 2010 report today, a national air quality report card that ranks cities and counties most affected by widespread ozone and particle pollution. While South Carolina saw air quality improvements in parts of the state, other areas continued to receive failing or near failing grades in particle (soot) and ozone (smog) air pollution.

South Carolina mirrored national trends in the State of the Air 2010 report in that the air quality in many places has improved, mainly in year-round particle pollution. However, more than 175 million Americans—roughly 58 percent—are still exposed to unhealthy pollution levels.  Unhealthy air affects some people more than others, such as individuals with lung or cardiovascular disease, seniors, children and people living in poverty.

"South Carolina's grades in the State of the Air 2010 report, while still at unhealthy levels in some areas, do show improvement from previous years, and demonstrate that efforts to clean our air do work" said June Deen, Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association in South Carolina. "The American Lung Association continues to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to insure air quality standards meet the criteria for healthy air and encourage Congress to pass amendments that have the power to improve air quality in our state and across the country."

According to the State of the Air 2010 report:

• Spartanburg County received an "F" for ozone pollution, a passing grade for annual particle pollution, and improved from an F in 2009 to a C in short term particle pollution
• Richland County received an "F" for ozone pollution, a passing grade for annual particle pollution, and improved from an "F" in 2009 to a "C" in short term particle pollution
• Charleston County's ozone grades improved from an "F" in 2009 to a "D" in this year's report, short-term particle pollution grades improved from an "F" in 2009 to a "C", and the county continues to receive a passing grade for annual particle pollution
• Greenville County's grade improved from failing to passing in annual particle pollution levels, and went from an "F" to a "C" in short term particle pollution

The State of the Air 2010 report includes a national air quality "report card" that assigns grades to counties across the country and ranks cities and counties most affected by the three most widespread types of pollution (ozone, annual particle pollution and 24-hour particle pollution levels). The report also details trends for the 25 most polluted cities. Grades for the 1,000 counties with air pollution monitors can be found by typing in a zip code at www.stateoftheair.org.

Sources of hazardous air pollutants range from school bus emissions to dirty power plants. Ocean-going vessels will soon become a leading source of air pollution in the United States, contributing nearly five times the pollution as the locomotive and marine sources the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency most recently required to clean up. The Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering tighter limits on ozone. Those limits, called national ambient air quality standards, drive the work that communities around the nation do to clean up ozone and other pollutants. The Lung Association has called on the EPA to set standards that provide much greater protection for public health. The Lung Association also urges Congress to clean up coal-fired power plants by passing the Clean Air Act amendments of 2010 and challenges individuals to take personal responsibility to improve the air they breathe. 

"Air pollution remains a serious threat to our nation's health," said Deen. "We can all do more for healthy air. Driving less, not burning wood or trash and using less electricity are all steps we can take to improve the air we breathe."

Visit www.lung.org to learn how you can help reduce air pollution. Make a difference by supporting the American Lung Association in your community and get involved by urging Congress and Administration officials to take action. Sign up to protect our air by joining the American Lung Association in South Carolina's Lung Action Network at www.lungaction.org .

Editors' Note: Multimedia toolkit including broadcast quality b-roll, photographs and sound bites available at: http://www.lung.org/press-room/state-of-the-air-media-center/ . Local city and county grades available at www.stateoftheair.org.