OUR NATION'S AIR STATUS AND TRENDS THROUGH 2015 WELCOME!

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "OUR NATION'S AIR STATUS AND TRENDS THROUGH 2015 WELCOME!"

Transcription

1 Page 1 of 14 OUR NATION'S AIR STATUS AND TRENDS THROUGH 2015 WELCOME! The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to protecting public health by improving air quality and reducing air pollution. This annual report presents the trends in the nation's air quality, and summarizes the detailed information found at EPA's AirTrends website ( Please scroll down to view the annual report, use the top menu to jump to a topic or start by viewing the tutorial video ( If encountering any issues viewing content, update or try opening the website in another browser.

2 Page 2 of 14 CLEANER AIR PREVENTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PREMATURE DEATHS, REDUCES HEART ATTACKS AND HOSPITAL VISITS, ALLEVIATES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILD ASTHMA ATTACKS, AND PREVENTS MILLIONS OF LOST SCHOOL AND WORK DAYS. AIR QUALITY IMPROVES AS AMERICA GROWS Nationally, concentrations of the criteria air pollutants have dropped significantly since 1990: 100% 75% NATIONAL AIR QUALITY CONCENTRATION AVERAGES Carbon Monoxide (CO) 8-Hour, 77% Lead (Pb) 3-Month Average, 99% Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2) Annual, 54% Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2) 1-Hour, 47% Ozone (O 3) 8-Hour, 22% Particulate Matter 10 microns (PM 10) 24-Hour, 39% Particulate Matter 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) Annual, 37% Particulate Matter 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) 24-Hour, 37% Sulfur Dioxide (SO ) 1-Hour, 81% 2 During this same period the U.S. economy continued to grow, Americans drove more miles and population and energy use increased. 50% 25% 0% -25% -50% TIP Click pollutant names in the chart legend to hide or include trend lines, and hover over any line to display percentages above or below the most recent standard. Click the Emissions button below to open a popup window. -75% -100% EMISSIONS Pb (3-month) CO (8-hour) NO2 (annual) NO2 (1-hour) O3 (8-hour) PM2.5 (24-hour) PM10 (24-hour) SO2 (1-hour)

3 Page 3 of 14 AIR POLLUTION INCLUDES GASES AND PARTICLES Air pollution consists of gas and particle contaminants that are present in the atmosphere. Gaseous pollutants include sulfur dioxide (SO 2), oxides of nitrogen (NO x), ozone (O 3), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), certain toxic air pollutants and some gaseous forms of metals. Particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM 10) includes a mixture of compounds that can be grouped into five major categories: sulfate, nitrate, elemental (black) carbon, organic carbon and crustal material. Some pollutants are released directly into the atmosphere while other pollutants are formed in the air from chemical reactions. Ground-level ozone forms when emissions of NOx and VOCs react in the presence of sunlight. Air pollution impacts human health and the environment through a variety of pathways. SIX COMMON POLLUTANTS UNDERSTANDING EMISSION SOURCES HELPS CONTROL AIR POLLUTION Generally, emissions of air pollution come from stationary fuel combustion sources (such as electric utilities and industrial boilers), industrial and other processes (such as metal smelters, petroleum refineries and cement kilns), highway vehicles, and non-road mobile sources (such as recreational and construction equipment, marine vessels, aircraft and locomotives). As the chart shows, sources emit different combinations of pollutants. For example, electric utilities release SO, NO and particles. 2 x TRACKING

4 Page 4 of 14 EMISSIONS BY SOURCE CATEGORY CO AIR POLLUTION CAN AFFECT OUR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT IN MANY WAYS Numerous scientific studies have linked air pollution to a variety of health problems. People at greater risk for experiencing air pollution-related health effects may, depending on the pollutant, include those with heart and respiratory diseases and older adults and children (30-second Healthy Heart video ( OZONE (O 3) HEALTH EFFECTS Ozone exposure reduces lung function and causes respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath. Ozone exposure also aggravates asthma and lung diseases such as emphysema leading to increased medication use, hospital admissions, and emergency department visits. Exposure to ozone may also increase the risk of premature mortality from respiratory causes. Short-term exposure to ozone is also associated with increased total non-accidental mortality, which includes deaths from respiratory causes. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS Ozone damages vegetation by injuring leaves, reducing photosynthesis, impairing reproduction and growth and decreasing crop yields. Ozone damage to plants may alter ecosystem structure, reduce biodiversity and decrease plant uptake of CO 2. Ozone is also a greenhouse gas that contributes to the warming of the atmosphere. PARTICULATE MATTER (PM) CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) LEAD (PB) NITROGEN DIOXIDE (NO 2) SULFUR DIOXIDE (SO 2) OXIDES OF NITROGEN AND SULFUR (NO X AND SO X) HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS (ALSO KNOWN AS AIR TOXICS) FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS, THE CLEAN AIR ACT HAS CUT POLLUTION AS THE U.S. ECONOMY HAS GROWN.

5 Page 5 of 14 ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH CLEANER AIR By 2015, the combined emissions of the six common pollutants (PM2.5 and PM 10, SO 2, NO x, VOCs, CO and Pb) dropped 71 percent since This progress occurred while the U.S. economy continued to grow, Americans drove more miles and population and energy use increased. 300% 250% 200% 150% COMPARISON OF GROWTH AREAS AND EMISSIONS % 50% 0% -50% -100% Gross Domestic Product Vehicle Miles Traveled Population Energy Consumption Aggregate Emissions (Six Common Pollutants) TODAY AMERICANS BREATHE CLEANER AIR AND FACE LOWER RISKS OF PREMATURE DEATH AND OTHER SERIOUS HEALTH EFFECTS NO 2 SATELLITE IMAGERY COURTESY OF NASA

6 Page 6 of %ile - 10%ile National Average NOx Emissions VOC Emissions NO Emissions x CHARTS Stationary Fuel Combustion Industrial and Other Processes Click and drag the green circle to manually change the year. Click on emission tabs to change the emissions chart. Highway Vehicles Non-Road ANIMATION MobileClick the play/pause button to start and pause animation. Click and drag the gray square in the slider to manually change the year. MAP <= > Click on a monitor to display annual concentration data. Double click to zoom in. Click the home button to reset.

7 Our Nation's Air 2016 UNDERSTANDING PM2.5 COMPOSITION HELPS REDUCE FINE PARTICLE POLLUTION Select a PM 2.5 speciation trend ANNUAL SEASONAL The different components that make up particle pollution come from specific sources and are often formed in the atmosphere. The major components, or species, are elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), sulfate and nitrate compounds, and crustal materials such as soil and ash. As previously shown, PM2.5 concentrations are declining. Assessing particle pollution concentrations along with composition data aids in understanding the effectiveness of pollution controls and in quantifying the impacts to public health, regional visibility, ecology and climate. Select a PM 2.5 speciation trend and double click on any darker area to display county information. Lighter areas do not have speciation monitors, thus no data reported. Page 7 of 14 UNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY DAYS TRENDING DOWN The Air Quality Index (AQI) relates daily air pollution concentrations for ozone, particle pollution, NO 2, CO and SO2 to health concerns for sensitive groups and for the general public. A value of 100 corresponds to the national air quality standard for each pollutant. Values above 100 are considered unhealthy first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as the AQI values increase. Fewer unhealthy air quality days means better health, longevity, and quality of life for all of us. Shown are the number of days in which the combined ozone and PM 2.5 AQI was above 100 for the years Click on the bar chart, or these links, to view the AQI retrospective reviews: PM ( appid=cc36ff abb1faff92e0d39ee3) and ozone ( appid=bc823213d0ae41ab9445efbf48ad6b94). 2.5 AQI FORECAST

8 Page 8 of 14 AIR QUALITY IN NONATTAINMENT AREAS IMPROVES EPA works collaboratively with state, local and tribal agencies to identify areas of the U.S. that do not meet the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). These areas, known as nonattainment areas, must develop plans to reduce air pollution and attain the NAAQS Lead appid=c2adc0e808f94dd Ozone appid=13231f1bb Ozone appid=6122b790882c4afb Consistent with national averages, air quality in nonattainment areas has also improved. Since 2010, there were no violations of the standards for CO and NO. 2 Shown are thumbnail images of the NAAQS nonattainment area maps. Click on any map to view a larger interactive version PM2.5 Annual 2012 PM Annual PM hour appid=cedf91ca3b3e4bca9 appid=5879c27026f94488 appid=726f1f1c59ab41c4a 1987 PM appid=41f979229e6d SO appid=f a8df4f199 2 WEATHER PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF OZONE, A POLLUTANT THAT CAN AFFECT HEALTH EVEN AT RELATIVELY LOW LEVELS.

9 Page 9 of 14 WEATHER INFLUENCES OZONE A large number of hot, dry days can lead to higher ozone levels in any given year, even if ozone-forming emissions remain unchanged. To better evaluate the progress and effectiveness of ozone precursor emission reduction programs, EPA uses a statistical model to estimate the influence of weather on ozone formation. After accounting for the effects of weather, EPA's analysis confirms that ozone levels have continued to improve across the U.S. in recent years due to emission reduction programs. For more information please visit the AirTrends website ( NATIONAL URBAN OZONE TREND 111 LOCATIONS Unadjusted for Weather Adjusted for Weather NATIONAL RURAL OZONE TREND 50 LOCATIONS Unadjusted for Weather Adjusted for Weather THE SAME FINE PARTICLES THAT ARE LINKED TO SERIOUS HEALTH EFFECTS AND PREMATURE DEATH CAN ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY OBSCURE SPECTACULAR VISTAS IN OUR NATION'S MOST TREASURED PARKS AND WILDERNESS AREAS. YOSEMITE NA TIONA L PAR K O N A HA ZY DAY

10 Page 10 of 14 VISIBILITY IMPROVES IN SCENIC AREAS The National Park Service celebrates 100 years on August 25, 2016! Together, EPA and other agencies monitor visibility trends in 155 of the 156 national parks and wilderness areas (i.e., Class I areas), where clear views are an important value for visitors. The map indicates a number of Class I areas have improving visibility or decreasing haze (indicated by the downward pointing arrows). To learn more about visibility in parks and view live webcams please visit this National Park Service website ( REGIONAL HAZE RULE

11 Page 11 of 14 AIR TOXICS LEVELS TRENDING DOWN Select an air toxic to view concentration trends Benzene Ambient monitoring data show that some of the toxic air pollutants of greatest widespread concern to public health, such as benzene, 1,3-butadiene and several metals, are declining at most sites. The trend lines on the map are plotted on the same x (year) and y (mean concentration) axes and are directly comparable to each other. Sites may show high or low values in the short-term (spikes); however, colors indicate the long-term statistical trend direction: decreasing, increasing and no trend. Benzene Use the dropdown menu to select a pollutant and hover on trend lines to view additional information. Click and drag over an area to zoom in. View a tabular summary (./img/natts_trends_table_ png) of air toxics trends. NATIONAL AIR TOXICS ASSESSMENT IN 2015, DESPITE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR QUALITY, APPROXIMATELY 127 MILLION PEOPLE LIVED IN COUNTIES THAT EXCEEDED THE REVISED NATIONAL GROUND-LEVEL OZONE STANDARDS.

12 Page 12 of 14 OUR NATION'S AIR CONTINUES TO IMPROVE.

13 Page 13 of 14 However, work must continue to ensure healthy air for all communities. EPA and our partners at the state, tribal and local levels will continue to work to understand and address the increasingly complex air quality problems we face. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Please visit other EPA air quality related websites. AIR TRENDS ( AIR NOW ( AIR COMPARE ( AIR DATA ( AIR EMISSIONS (

14 Page 14 of 14 SOCIAL MEDIA Use the share button at the top to share this report with others, and follow the latest EPA activities to protect human health and the environment using the links below. TWITTER ( FACEBOOK ( YOUTUBE (