New Report: Atlanta’s Air Quality Worsens; Is Among Worst in Southeast for Ozone Smog and Year-Round Particle Pollution

According to the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report, released today, air quality in the Atlanta metro area has worsened. Residents are being exposed to more unhealthy ozone smog and particle pollution. In fact, Atlanta is the third worst metro area in the Southeast for ozone pollution and is tied for fourth worst for year-round level of particle pollution. Additionally, the report found that nearly half of the U.S. population live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Extreme heat and wildfires contributed to worsening air quality in much of the country.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone pollution, also known as “smog,” and particle pollution, also known as “soot,” over a three-year period (2021-2023). Findings for the Atlanta metro area include:

• Ground-level Ozone Pollution:
  • Number of Unhealthy Days per Year: 5.5 days (1.8 days in 2024 report)
  • Grade: F (C in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 48th worst out of 228 – third worst metro area in Southeast (67th worst in 2024 report)
• Short-Term Spikes in Particle Pollution:
  • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 1.7 days (0.3 days in 2024 report)
  • Grade: C (B in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 114th worst out of 223 (124th worst in 2024 report)
• Year-Round Average Level of Particle Pollution:
  • Grade: Failing grade, pollution levels above the federal standard (failing grade in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 34th worst out of 204 – tied for fourth worst metro area in Southeast (48th worst in 2024 report)

Ozone and particle pollution are widespread and can impact anyone’s health. Both pollutants 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.

“Unfortunately, too many people in the Atlanta metro area are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution. This air pollution is a threat to human health at every stage of life—increasing the risk of premature birth and low birth weight in babies to causing or worsening lung and heart disease to shortening lives,” said Danna Thompson, advocacy director for the Lung Association in Georgia. “We urge Georgia policymakers to take action to improve our air quality, and we are calling on everyone to support the incredibly important work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Without EPA staff and programs, Georgians won’t know what’s in the air they’re breathing, and efforts to clean up air pollution will be undone.”

In addition to the Atlanta metro area, other notable findings across Georgia include:

• While the Augusta metro area ranked among cleanest in nation for ozone smog, it tied for fourth worst in the Southeast for year-round level of particle pollution.
• Ozone smog worsened in the Savannah metro area, with its grade dropping from an “A” to a “B.”

“We’re encouraging Georgians to join our efforts and take action for clean air,” Dr. Jannifer Harper, chair of the Lung Association’s Georgia Leadership Board. “Make your voice heard by signing the Lung Association’s petition at Lung.org/sota. Because when you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.”

The “State of the Air” report relies on data from air quality monitors managed by state, local and Tribal air pollution control authorities in counties across the U.S. In Georgia, only 27 out of 159 counties could be graded for at least one measure of air quality. This underscores the need for more monitors and access to air quality data so that people and communities can take measures to safeguard their health. 

On a national level, the “State of the Air” report found that 156 million people in the U.S. (46%) live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution. 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures. The report also found that a person of color in the U.S. is more than twice as likely as a white individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three pollution measures. Notably, Hispanic individuals are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in a community with three failing grades.

The Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is essential to protecting people’s health from ozone and particle pollution. Join the American Lung Association in advocating to protect EPA’s expert staff and lifesaving programs. See the full report results and take action at Lung.org/sota.

Get involved and help the mission of American Lung Association. The Fight For Air Climb Atlanta is coming up on Saturday, May 3. Learn more at ClimbAtlanta.org.