Philadelphia region's air quality grades poorly in new report as pollution worsens

A new report from the American Lung Association says millions of Americans are being exposed to potentially dangerous air, and that includes the Philadelphia region.

The Philadelphia region graded an F for bad air quality in the annual report from the association. The report analyzes ozone, smog and particle pollution.

Caroline Hutchinson, with the American Lung Association, says not only did the region get a failing grade, but the air pollution here is intensifying.

"We also went from the 26th-worst city to the 17th-worst city in just a year," she said.

The state of the air report says the pollution is coming from cars, power plants, chemicals and fires.

"There's work that needs to be done," Hutchinson said.

Doctors say the fine particles from air pollution can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, triggering inflammation and a variety of health problems, including lung and heart disease.

"I do think it's a concern for everybody," Gautam George, a pulmonologist from Jefferson Health, said.

George says air pollution can make fighting infections like colds and the flu more difficult, along with other respiratory conditions.

"Children, especially those that have asthma, which is a common childhood condition, can get exacerbated in the setting of bad air," he said.

The new report says more than 1 million children in Pennsylvania are breathing unhealthy air.

"This can also increase the risk for other types of respiratory diseases down the line," George said.

The report says nearly half of Americans — 152.3 million — now live in places with dangerous air pollutants.

The state of our air report says people of color are more than twice as likely to live in areas with high air pollution levels.