admin The number of harmful days with high ozone levels in Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, & Anderson remained the same in this year’s report as it did in the previous year’s report. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro region was tied for 122nd place in terms of ozone pollution, just ahead of the city of Charleston.
Ozone pollution can injure even healthy individuals, but it is particularly hazardous to youngsters, the elderly, and those suffering from respiratory disorders such as COPD or asthma. Asthma attacks in children and adults with asthma can be triggered by breathing ozone-polluted air, which can result in their being taken to the doctor’s office or the emergency department. Ozone has the potential to shorten people’s lives.”
This paper demonstrates that rising temperatures caused by climate change make ozone less likely to occur and more difficult to remove from the atmosphere. In the “State of the Air” report for 2020, it was found that much more people had been exposed to harmful ozone pollution than in the previous three assessments.
The State Of South Carolina’s Particle Pollution
Using data from the “State of the Air” 2020 report, it was discovered that particle levels of pollution inside the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro region were much lower than they were in the previous year’s study. Year-round particle pollution levels in the metro region were at their highest levels ever, exceeding the national guideline and tying it for 94th place among the most polluted cities.
Charleston tied for 150th place in this year’s report since its levels remained unchanged.
“Particle pollution has the potential to lodge deep within the lungs and even enter the bloodstream,” says the author. “It has the potential to induce asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes, as well as lung cancer,” Deen explained. Several sources of particle pollution include coal-fired power stations, diesel exhaust, wildfires, and wood-burning appliances.
Particle pollution levels have decreased year after year in recent years, thanks to the cleanup at coal-fired energy plants and also the retirement of ageing, polluting diesel engines,” according to the report. According to Deen, “the increase in particle pollution that we’ve witnessed across the country in this year’s report is a disturbing reminder that we should step up our efforts to decrease this deadly pollution.”
Short-term surges in particle pollution, that can be exceedingly harmful and even fatal, were also tracked by the “State of the Air” 2020 project. According to the survey, Florence has zero days in which short-term fine particulate matter reached harmful levels, earning it a spot on the list of the world’s cleanest cities.
The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro region had less poor air days and was tied for 40th place in terms of short-term particle pollution with the city of Greenville, South Carolina. Charleston (T-48th) likewise saw an improvement in air quality, with fewer days with bad air.
Every everyone has the right to be alive clean, healthy air.” In celebration of the Air Quality Act’s 50th anniversary, Deen reminded everyone that “Americans are breathing cleaner air today thanks to the passage of this groundbreaking legislation.” In the same vein, this year’s research shows that we must fight for clean air – particularly to protect our most vulnerable people of our communities. It is imperative that our leadership, both here and in South Carolina but on a national level, take urgent and meaningful action to fend off climate change or other dangers to the quality of air we all breathe.”
