US Children Face Severe Air Pollution Risks as Report Exposes Health Crisis

Nearly Half of US Children Breathe Unhealthy Air, Report Finds

Nearly half of all children in the United States—33.5 million, or 46% of those under 18—are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s (ALA) 27th annual air quality report, released on Wednesday.

The report evaluates pollution across the country by grading levels of ground-level ozone (smog), year-round particle pollution (soot), and short-term spikes in soot. Data analyzed was collected between 2022 and 2024.

7 Million Children Live in Areas Failing All Three Pollution Measures

The report found that 7 million children—10% of all US children—live in communities that failed all three pollution measures. Will Barrett, assistant vice president of the ALA’s Nationwide Clean Air Policy, highlighted the severe risks to children’s health:

“Children’s lungs are still developing. For their body size, they’re breathing more air. And also, kids play outdoors, they’re more active, they’re breathing in more outdoor air … So, air pollution exposure in children can contribute to long-term developmental harm to their lungs, new cases of asthma, increased risks of respiratory illness and other health considerations later in life.”

Communities of Color Disproportionately Affected by Air Pollution

The report also found that communities of color are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy air, increasing their vulnerability to chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.

• People of color make up 42.1% of the US population but represent 54.2% of those living in counties with at least one failing grade for air pollution.
• A person of color is 2.42 times more likely than a white person to live in a community that fails all three pollution measures.

Smog Levels Reach Six-Year High, Affecting 129.1 Million Americans

Smog remains the most widespread pollutant affecting Americans’ health. Between 2022 and 2024, 38% of the US population—129.1 million people—were exposed to unhealthy ozone levels, the highest number recorded in the ALA’s report in six years and a 3.9 million increase from the previous year.

Several factors contributed to these high pollution levels, including extreme heat, drought, and wildfires, which exposed more people to harmful ozone. The report noted that smoke from Canada’s 2023 wildfires crossed into the US, along with high temperatures and weather patterns that favored ozone formation in 2023 and 2024—particularly in Southern states.

Most Affected Regions

The regions most impacted by high ozone levels include:

• Southwestern states from California to Texas
• Much of the Midwest

These areas experienced elevated pollution due to a combination of wildfire smoke, high temperatures, and weather conditions that intensified ozone formation.

Experts Warn Trump-Era Rollbacks Will Worsen Air Quality Crisis

The report comes as the Trump administration has rolled back numerous environmental protections, raising concerns among public health experts about the long-term impact on air quality and children’s health.