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Posted on Oct 04, 2002, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
The American Lung Association has criticized the government for not fully enforcing clean air laws after results of the association's State of the Air 2002 report revealed that more than half of all US citizens breathe polluted air that could damage their health. The report revealed that nearly 400 counties fitted with ozone monitors have smog levels above legal limits, furthermore nearly three-quarters of seniors and children who suffered an asthma attack last year live in one of the offending counties.
The American Lung Association has criticized the government for not fully enforcing clean air laws after results of the association's State of the Air 2002 report revealed that more than half of all US citizens breathe polluted air that could damage their health. The report revealed that nearly 400 counties fitted with ozone monitors have smog levels above legal limits, furthermore nearly three-quarters of seniors and children who suffered an asthma attack last year live in one of the offending counties. According to the State of the Air 2002 report, the cleanest cities in the US include Bellingham, Washington; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Laredo, Texas; and Lincoln, Nebraska. Meanwhile the top 10 most polluted areas are Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange County in southern California; Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia, Tulare and Porterville, California; Houston, Galveston and Brazoria, Texas; Atlanta; Merced, California; Knoxville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; Rockville, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by the American Lung Association on the 1st May 2002
