Nearly half of US lives with a 'failing grade' for air pollution, including in Philadelphia: Study

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- New data shows nearly half of Americans live in an area with a "failing grade" for air pollution, including in Philadelphia.

The American Lung Association looked at air quality data from 2021 to 2023.

It found that 156 million people are associated with areas of high "fine particle matter" pollution. That is typically dirt, dust or smoke.

The three top spots with the most year-round particle pollution are all listed in central California.

Philadelphia received a failing grade for all three measures of pollution, which include both short-term and year-round fine particles and ozone pollution.