EMBARGOED UNTIL:
5 a.m. (EDT), April 25, 2012
CONTACT:
Deborah Brown
President & CEO
dbrown@lunginfo.org
(610) 563-6992
Kevin M. Stewart
Director, Environmental Health
(717) 541-5864 x36 or
(717) 330-1790 (cell)
kstewart@lunginfo.org
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Delaware’s Poor Air Quality Grades Impacted by Pollution from Neighboring States
“We have seen some success in cleaning up the air in Delaware - what we need is strong enforcement of the
Clean Air Act across the country.” - Sen. Tom Carper
Editors’ Note: Trend charts and rankings for metropolitan areas and county grades are available at
www.stateoftheair.org.
WILMINGTON, Del. - [Embargoed Until: 5 a.m. (EDT), April 25, 2012] — The American Lung Association’s
State of the Air 2012 report finds that in America’s most polluted cities and counties, including those in
Delaware, air quality was at its cleanest since the organization’s annual report began 12 years ago. However,
factors such as cross-state pollution played a role ultimately in poor air quality grades assigned to the First
State.
Delaware received mixed grades for ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). However, Kent and Sussex
counties favorably made the list of the nation’s cleanest counties for daily particle pollution, earning their first
“A’s” with no unhealthful days during 2008-2010, the report’s years of measurement, for the first time. The
Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland metropolitan area (which includes New Castle County) again ranked this year
among the 25 most polluted cities for ozone, daily and year-round particle pollution. In ozone and daily
particle pollution, it was the Philadelphia metro area’s cleanest air quality showing since the first State of the
Air report. In annual particle pollution, unfortunately the city of Philadelphia’s slightly worse maximum
pollution levels were enough to move the entire metro area into 10th place on the top 25 list, a severely worse
showing than its tied rank of 24 last year.
“State of the Air shows that we’re making steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air as a
result of cleanup efforts required under the Clean Air Act,” said Deb Brown, president and CEO of the
American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “Because of air quality standards that are outdated, millions of
Americans across the country, including Delaware’s residents, are still forced to breathe unhealthy levels of air
pollution.”
State of the Air 2012 details the trend that standards set under the Clean Air Act to cleanup major air pollution
sources—including coal-fired power plants, diesel engines, and SUVs—are working to drastically cut ozone and
particle pollution from the air. Despite the improvements, the job of cleaning the air is not finished. More than
40 percent of people in the United States live in areas where air pollution continues to threaten their health.
That means more than 127 million people are living in counties with dangerous levels of either ozone or
particle pollution that can cause wheezing and coughing, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death.
Those at greatest risk from air pollution include infants, children, older adults, anyone with lung diseases like
asthma, people with heart disease or diabetes, people with low incomes and anyone who works or exercises
outdoors.
“This year’s State of the Air report helps to illustrate a point that I’ve been making for years: It is possible to
protect our environment without dooming our economy,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.). “The report
also shows that a lot of work remains to be done. We have seen some success in cleaning up the air in
Delaware. What we need now is strong enforcement of the Clean Air Act. I support the EPA’s Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule, which is currently under judicial review, and I call on my colleagues to support the full
implementation of the Clean Air Act.”
“Particle pollution can be deadly,” said Kevin M. Stewart, director of environmental health of the American
Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “When you breathe particle pollution, you are inhaling a toxic mix of
chemicals, metals, aerosols, ash, and diesel exhaust. It can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes,
emergency room visits and even premature death. There is absolutely no question regarding the need to
protect public health from particle pollution.”
In addition to Kent and Sussex counties’ grades for short-term particle pollution, New Castle County received
an “F” for the pollutant. All three counties received a “Pass” for year-round particle pollution.
Ozone (smog), the most widespread air pollutant, is created by the reaction of sunlight on emissions from
vehicles and other sources. “When ozone is inhaled, it irritates the lungs, like a bad sunburn,” says Stewart. “It
can cause immediate health problems and continue days later. Ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, asthma
attacks and premature death.”
All three Delaware counties received an “F” for ozone pollution. In Kent County, State of the Air 2012 found
smog levels slightly increased, resulting in Dover’s much worsened rank from 113th in the 2011 report to 57th
worst in this year’s report of 232 metro areas.
All other pollution levels throughout the state showed small, if modest, improvements from last year’s report.
Although air quality improvements clearly result from standards put into place under the Clean Air Act, big
polluters and some members of Congress continue to propose to dismantle the law. Recent proposals in the
Congress have included delaying implementation and blocking enforcement of parts of the law, and limiting
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to consider all of the scientific evidence regarding the
harm to public health. These challenges come despite EPA’s estimate that cutting air pollution through the
Clean Air Act will prevent at least 230,000 deaths and save $2 trillion annually by 2020.
“Dangerous and potentially deadly levels of smog and particle pollution continue to affect public health,” said
Brown. “Cleanups have resulted in healthier air to breathe in other parts of the country, but people in
Delaware and more than 40 percent of our nation are still breathing dangerously polluted air. We must
continue to fight for clean air and demand the full implementation of the Clean Air Act.”
The American people support the need for stricter limits on air pollution standards and the authority of the
EPA to enforce these standards. A recent bipartisan survey found that about two-thirds of voters (66 percent)
favor the EPA updating air pollution standards by setting stricter limits. Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of
voters believe the nation does not have to choose between air quality and a strong economy.
State of the Air 2012 grades cities and counties based, in part, on the color-coded Air Quality Index developed
by the EPA to alert the public to daily unhealthy air conditions. The 13 th annual report uses the most recent,
quality-controlled EPA data collected from 2008 through 2010 from official monitors for ozone and particle
pollution, the two most widespread types of air pollution. Counties are graded for ozone, year-round particle
pollution and short-term particle pollution levels. The report also uses EPA’s calculations for year-round
particle levels.
The American Lung Association in Delaware urges the public to join the fight for clean air and to learn how to
protect themselves and their families from air pollution by visiting www.stateoftheair.org.
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About the American Lung Association
Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by
improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung
Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the
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