The American Lung Association has released its latest grades for air quality in the U.S. and Greater Akron earned low marks.
The 2025 State of the Air report took a look at levels of ground-level ozone air − smog − and spikes in particle pollution − soot − over a three-year period across the country.
Summit County earned a D grade from the American Lung Association for both ozone and particulate related issues over a three-year period.
The latest report based its grades on air-quality data collected from 2021 to 2023.
In comparison, Columbus earned a C for ozone issues and an F for particle quality and Cincinnati earned an F in both categories.
Like Cincinnati, Cleveland also earned failing marks in the report.
Kezia Ofosu Atta, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Ohio, said too many Ohioans are living in areas with unhealthy air quality.
“The air pollutants covered in this report are widespread and can impact anyone’s health,” Ofosu Atta said in a statement. “Both ozone and particle pollution can cause premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, preterm births and impaired cognitive functioning later in life. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer.”
The report found that roughly 156 million people in the U.S. or 46% of the population live in areas that have a failing grade.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: American Lung Association grades Greater Akron’s air quality