Nearly half of US children are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, report warns

Nearly half of children in the United States are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s 27th annual air quality report. The study, which analyzed data from 2022 to 2024, found that 33.5 million children—46 percent of those under 18—live in areas that failed at least one measure of air pollution, including ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Alarmingly, 7 million children reside in communities that failed all three pollution metrics. The report highlights the ongoing health risks posed by poor air quality, especially for developing lungs. Experts emphasize that children are particularly vulnerable due to their higher respiratory rates and outdoor activity levels, which increase their exposure to harmful pollutants. Will Barrett, assistant vice president of the ALA’s Nationwide Clean Air Policy, noted that such exposure can lead to long-term lung damage, new asthma cases, and heightened risks of respiratory illnesses. The report also underscores the disproportionate impact of pollution on communities of color, who make up 42.1 percent of the U.S. population but represent 54.2 percent of those living in counties with failing air quality grades. People of color are more than twice as likely as white individuals to live in areas failing all pollution measures, exacerbating existing health disparities. The report identifies smog as the most pervasive pollutant, affecting 38 percent of the U.S. population—approximately 129.1 million people—between 2022 and 2024. This figure marks the highest exposure level recorded in six years and reflects a nearly 4 million increase from the previous year. Contributing factors include extreme heat, drought, and wildfires, which have intensified ozone pollution across large parts of the country, particularly in the Midwest and western regions. The findings raise concerns about the impact of regulatory rollbacks on environmental protections, which experts warn could worsen air quality and public health outcomes in the coming years.