How Fairfax County Stacks Up On Air Pollution

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA—Fairfax County is one of a few Virginia counties receiving failing grades for high ozone days, according to a new air quality report. The American Lung Association released its 2019 State of the Air findings Wednesday.

The report looked at ozone and particle pollution with data collected by federal, state and local governments and tribes during 2015-2017. Counties were graded on the number of days with high ground-level ozone (smog) levels and particle pollution (soot), as well as year-round particle pollution.

The report concluded that more cities had high days of ozone and short-term particle pollution in 2015-2017 as compared to 2014-2016. More cities had overall levels of particle pollution increase as well.

Fairfax County received an F for a high number of days when ozone reached unhealthy levels. During the measuring period of 2015-2017, the county had 10 orange days, meaning the air was unhealthy for sensitive groups. On the plus side, there were zero red days, which would be considered unhealthy for all.

For particle pollution, Fairfax County got a B grade. It had a passing grade for year-round particle pollution and had just one orange day for short-term pollution.

Most other Virginia counties received either an INC grade — meaning there was incomplete monitoring data — or a DNC grade, indicating there was no monitor collecting data. Among the few counties with data, Arlington County received an F, Loudoun County a C, Prince William a C, Stafford County a B and Fauquier County an A.

Of the most 25 polluted cities in the U.S., 17 had more high ozone days. The remaining eight had less high ozone days, and three of these recorded their fewest days of all time. Los Angeles has been the worst city for ozone pollution for 19 of 20 years the report has been released.

Based on the report, nearly 141.1 million people live where there's unhealthy air. That's an increase from 133.9 million in last year's report, but it's still lower than the 166 million reported in 2012-2014.

Ozone and particle pollution are associated with premature death, developmental harm, reproductive harm, lung cancer and heart damage, the ALA says.