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Air Quality Data Reveals Most Polluted Major US Cities in 2023


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The 10 most polluted major cities in the United States last year all experienced air quality that exceeded World Health Organization guidelines by two-three times, according to an annual report by Swiss air technology company IQAir.

For the second year running, Columbus, Ohio, was America's most polluted major city, reporting an annual average 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) of particulate pollutants smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), nearly three times the WHO's safety standard of 5 µg/m³.

Chicago, Illinois (13 µg/m³); Indianapolis, Indiana (12.6 µg/m³); Nashville, Tennessee (12.3 µg/m³); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (11.9 µg/m³); New York City, New York (11.6 µg/m³); Charlotte, North Carolina (11.1 µg/m³); Louisville, Kentucky (11 µg/m³); Fort Worth (10.7 µg/m³) and Houston (10.6 µg/m³)—both in Texas—all made the list in 2023.

The U.S.'s most polluted cities were still several times cleaner than the top three on IQAir's separate population weighted list of capital cities around the world: New Delhi, India (92.7 µg/m³); Dakha, Bangladesh (80.2 µg/m³); and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (46.6 µg/m³).

Washington, D.C., placed No. 73 with annual average PM2.5 levels of 11.7 µg/m³.

The WHO considers PM2.5 as a significant environmental health risk, associated with severe health problems including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as lower life expectancy.

It is "the most harmful and common air pollutant and causes the most pollution-related deaths," Frank Hammes, IQAir's global CEO, told a virtual press conference on March 20, a day after the company published its sixth annual report.

"PM2.5 penetrates every cell of our bodies, from the cells in our skin to the cells deep in our lungs, and even in your brain," Hammes said.

IQAir's latest report relies on data collected by a mixture of government- and privately managed monitoring stations on the ground. To be included in its report, air quality data for a city, country, region or territory had to be available for at least 60 percent of the hours of the year, equivalent to 5,256 of 8,760 total hours.

The lack of widespread monitoring stations in many developing nations, despite the relatively low cost of some types of equipment, meant many countries were excluded from the report. The company said it analyzed data from 30,000 stations in 134 countries, territories or regions.

US Cities Face Continued Air Quality Challenges
An emission comes out of a smoke stack at the Essex County Resource Recovery waste-to-energy facility on January 21 in Newark, New Jersey. An annual air quality report out of Switzerland listed Columbus, Ohio, as... Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

In the U.S., power plants, vehicle emissions and industrial activities were major contributors of PM2.5, which rose from an annual average of 8.9 µg/m³ in 2022 to 9.1 µg/m³ last year, according to IQAir.

It said states in the Upper Midwest and Mid-Atlantic were affected by Canada's wildfires, which also made Canada the most polluted country in North America for the first time on the company's record.

"Unhealthy and hazardous air quality was recorded in the Great Lakes, Midwest, East Coast, and Pacific Northwest after Canadian wildfire smoke drifted south," it said.

PM2.5 levels in Minneapolis and Detroit rose 30-50 percent compared to previous years, while pollution levels in Milwaukee spiked 51 percent from 2022.

On the West Coast, wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts saw PM2.5 levels decline in Portland by 37 percent, in Seattle by 36 percent, and in Los Angeles by 10, said IQAir.

At average PM2.5 levels of 4.9 µg/m³, Las Vegas was the least polluted city in the U.S. last year, falling just within WHO guidelines.

Around the World

Only seven countries on the Swiss company's list met the WHO's guidelines of 5 µg/m³ or less in 2023: Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.

A Newsweek graphic, compiled using IQAir's air pollution data, shows Asia dominating available records, although Africa remained underrepresented in the comparative analysis. The numbers show 125 of 134 countries and regions—92.5 percent—failed to meet the WHO's guidelines.

In Central and South Asia, 14 of the 15 most polluted cities were in India, and one was in Pakistan. India's Begusarai (118.9 µg/m³) was the world's most polluted city last year.

"Northern India and Delhi struggle with smoke from crop burning, vehicle emissions, coal burning, waste burning, and biomass burning for heat and cooking," IQAir said.

"Annual crop burning in northern India and neighboring Pakistan regularly results in Delhi experiencing emergency-level air quality days. Indian scientists have turned to cloud seeding as a possible solution to help clear up Delhi's smog in November," it said.

Among the region's 15 least polluted cities were 12 locations in Kazakhstan and three in India.

China led East Asia with all of the region's top 15 most polluted cities, from Hotan (87.3) to Yanliang (48.6 µg/m³). Eleven of the 15 least polluted cities in the region were found in Japan, two were in China, and two were in Taiwan.

"China has transformed its air quality for the better over the past decade thanks to a government campaign to curb air pollution. China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, emitting 12.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually," the report said.

It added: "The country has committed to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, to becoming carbon-neutral by 2060, and increasing non-fossil fuel energy sources. However, China increased approvals for coal-powered power plants, with 243 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity permitted or under construction in 2023. This recently accelerated permitting jeopardizes country's ability to meet its goals and commitments."

Despite global efforts to improve air quality, over 90 percent of the world's population is exposed to levels beyond the WHO's safety limit. Natural sources of pollutants like dust and fires remain significant factors.

IQAir recommended governments allocate additional funds toward renewable energy projects, including in public transportation systems, and to adopt effective forest management strategies to mitigate the risk of wildfires.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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