N.J. is winning the fight against soot, but the state's ozone levels are still concerning according to 2018 "State of the Air" report
There's good and bad news about the quality of New Jersey's air.
Fewer areas in the Garden State are suffering from pollution caused by air particles, like soot and fine dust. Ozone pollution, on the other hand, is worsening.
That assessment comes from the American Lung Association's newly released 2018 "State of the Air" report, which details air pollution around the nation from 2014 to 2016 and found that more than four in 10 Americans live with unhealthy air.
According to the report, both ozone and soot pollution can contribute to lung cancer and other health problems.
Ozone, the main ingredient in smog, that is found in air near the Earth's surface can be extremely harmful to people. It's effects can be described as "sunburn for the lungs," said to Kevin Stewart, a spokesman for the American Lung Association.
"Someone could have an asthma attack as a result of this," Stewart said of ozone pollution. "Someone could go to the emergency room, and we know that asthma can kill people."
Stewart said that ozone isn't typically emitted directly into the air, but rather forms when other pollutants combine. The chemical reaction that causes ozone to form happens more frequently in hot weather.
Out of 227 metro areas, the greater New York area (which includes Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties) was listed as the 10th worst city for ozone pollution. The greater Philadelphia area (which includes Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties) was listed as the 24th worst city for ozone pollution.
The report grades individual counties on an A through F scale based on the number of high pollution days they registered during the study. In New Jersey, 15 of the state's 21 counties monitor ozone pollution. Of those, 11 scored F's; Morris County scored a D; and Atlantic, Cumberland and Warren counties scored C's. New Jersey's ozone pollution grades are worse compared to last year's report.
Because air pollution is not confined by state borders, the report measures metro areas rather than individual states. New Jersey is split between the New York and Philadelphia metro areas. However, Stewart said that if New Jersey was measured as a whole it would still rank as one of the worst ozone pollution areas.
Ozone pollution grades for New Jersey counties, according to the American Lung Association's 2018 "State of the Air" report. Map courtesy of the American Lung Association. As for soot pollution, New Jersey showed improvement from last year's report.
The greater Philadelphia area was also listed as the 12th worst city for year round air particle pollution, out of 187 metro areas. The greater New York area was ranked 26th.
But areas in Delaware and Connecticut, also included in those metro areas, were more polluted than New Jersey, Stewart said. Overall, the Garden State is in pretty good shape when it comes to particle pollution. Of the 13 counties that monitor particle pollution in the state, all but one were graded A or B. Union County, the worst offender, received a C.
Daily air particle pollution grades for New Jersey counties, according to the American Lung Association's 2018 "State of the Air" report. Map courtesy of the American Lung Association. Part of the reason New Jersey may have less soot pollution is because the state has focused on putting cleaner engines on the road and expanding renewable energy in the state, said Larry Hajna, spokesman for theNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Also, the closure of New Jersey coal power plants and the phasing out of old diesel engines have been important in cutting back the Garden State's air particle pollution, he added.
Cutting back vehicle emissions is also a way to combat ozone pollution, Hajna said. He noted that New Jersey has some of the strictest vehicle emissions regulations in the nation, but that the state can do little to address emissions blowing into the Garden State from elsewhere. Specifically, Hajna said it is common for ozone pollution from Pennsylvania and points south to blow northward into New Jersey.
Hajna also noted the state's renewed push for wind energy and electric vehicles.
"All administrations in New Jersey, going back decades, have taken air quality seriously," Hajna said. "This administration is no different."
Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
