Clean Air

Federal and State governments and environmental organizations have been working for decades to remove pollutants and greenhouse gases from the air we breathe.

Air pollution exacts a large toll on human health worldwide: exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths and countless lost years of healthy life annually. Currently, 9 out of 10 people breathe air that exceeds the World Health Organization’s guideline limits for pollution. The burden of disease attributable to air pollution is now on a par with other major global health risks such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking. Air pollution is now recognized as the single biggest environmental threat to human health.    (WHO, Natural Resources Defense Council)

Delaware County is no exception to air pollution problems. Despite substantial improvements in the past 20 years, the American Lung Association still gives Delaware County a grade of B for ozone, C for 24-hour particle pollution, and F for annual particle pollution. More improvement is necessary.   (American Lung Association)

In southern Delaware County, a community survey (ASSESS) found that 41% of children have asthma, six times the national average. Air pollution problems are particularly bad in Chester, Marcus Hook, and Trainer. The childhood asthma hospitalization rate in Chester is five times the national average.  Chester air quality is worse than 92% of cities in Pennsylvania. (Southeast PA Household Health Survey, CRCQL, National [Environmental] Risk Assessment, First Street Technology)