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Tags: united states | dirty air | cities | ranked

10 US Cities With the Dirtiest Air

man in business suit carrying briefcase faces a hazy polluted city skyline
(Sergey Khakimullin/Dreamstime)

By    |   Wednesday, 17 July 2019 08:15 AM EDT

America’s air quality is not getting any cleaner.

In fact, it may be getting worse, Time recently reported. As a result, people are getting sick, and even dying. Studies have shown that roughly 100,000 people die prematurely each year in the U.S. due to polluted air.

These statistics vary from city to city. Some have worse air quality than others, which Stacker highlighted in a report that analyzed pollution in 50 American cities. Based on this report, here are 10 cities with the dirtiest air:

10. Madera, California. The city has the worst 24-hour soot ranking in the U.S. and scores pretty high in terms of smog rankings as well.

9. Yuma, Arizona.  Ranked as the ninth city with the worst air pollution, the Yuma County Farm Bureau has been forced to introduce best management practices to the agricultural sector to help protect the atmosphere.

8. Tucson, Arizona. Ozone warnings are regularly issued to residents in Tucson, which often sees high ozone layers caused by solar radiation and heat.

7. Fresno, California. Vehicle emissions, as well as emissions from the construction and agricultural industries in Fresno, are a major source of air pollution in the area.

6. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California. The issue of poor air quality has forced Riverside to introduce curriculum to high school students teaching them about air pollution.

5. Visalia-Porterville, California. In an effort to reduce air pollution in the area, restrictions on burning of solids has been placed upon residents.

4. Bakersfield, California. During certain weather systems, this area can become especially susceptible to smog and particle buildups.

3. Hanford-Corcoran, California. This area is susceptible to high-smog levels, which are exasperated by heat, stagnant air, and the surrounding mountainous terrain.

2. El Centro, California. The warm climate is a major contributing factor to air pollution in the area, which borders Mexico, where clean air regulations are laxer.

1. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona. Car emissions combined with chemical solvent waste put Phoenix at the top of the list as the U.S. city with the dirtiest air.

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TheWire
America's air quality is not getting any cleaner.In fact, it may be getting worse, Time recently reported. As a result, people are getting sick, and even dying.
united states, dirty air, cities, ranked
337
2019-15-17
Wednesday, 17 July 2019 08:15 AM
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