Washington Cities See Mixed Air Quality Rankings

The American Lung Association’s 2020 “State of the Air” report found that the air pollution in several Washington areas hit all-time highs, while some areas made modest improvements.

The Lung Association’s annual air quality “report card” tracks Americans’ exposure to unhealthy levels of particle pollution and ozone during a three-year period.

Yakima’s air quality is now ranked as the fifth most-polluted in the nation for short-term particle pollution, its worst-ever ranking and a significant jump from the number 17 spot it held in last year’s report. Additionally, Yakima is now ranked 27th most-polluted for year-round particle pollution, jumping more than 50 spots from its 78th ranking in last year’s report. In Yakima, and around the state, wildfire smoke is a significant source of particle pollution in Washington. Wintertime woodsmoke also contributes to unhealthy air.

“Trends of increasing wildfires in Washington and neighboring states are consistent with a warming climate,” said Season Oltmann, Executive Director for the American Lung Association in Washington. “Exposure to wildfire smoke place our health and our lives at risk.”

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which has been responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality. We still have much work to do to ensure everyone has clean, healthy air to breathe,” said Oltmann. “With nearly half of Americans breathing unhealthy air nationwide, this report shows that because of climate change, we’re heading in wrong direction when it comes to protecting public health.”

The Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d’Alene metro area’s air quality is now ranked as the 14th most-polluted for short-term particle pollution, its worst ever recorded. The area’s ozone pollution grade dropped from a B grade to a C in the report due to more unhealthy ozone days. And for the first time ever, Okanogan County received a ranking due to newly available information, and it’s the 14th most-polluted county in the nation for short-term particle pollution.

Some areas in Washington did see improvement. The Seattle-Tacoma area improved from the 9th to 14th most polluted area for short-term particle pollution, and Bellingham is tied for 7th as the cleanest city for annual particle pollution.

Each year this report provides grades 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 and cardiovascular damage.

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.

“We all have the right to breathe clean, healthy air,” said Oltmann. “We must stand up for clean air, especially to safeguard our vulnerable community members. Our leaders, both here in Washington and federally, must take immediate action to ward off climate change and other threats to the quality of the air we all breathe.”

Learn more about Washington’s rankings, as well as air quality across the nation, at Lung.org/sota.

2020 Cleanest Cities for Annual Particle Pollution

Bellingham, WA (tie for #7)

2020 Most Polluted Metro Areas for Short-Term Particle Pollution

Yakima (#5)

Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d’Alene (tie for #14)

Seattle-Tacoma (tie for #14)