03/25/2024

Air Quality Data Reveals Most Polluted Major U.S. Cities in 2023

Columbus is the most polluted for the second year running

The 10 most polluted major cities in the United States last year all experienced air quality that exceeded World Health Organization guidelines by two-three times, according to an annual report by Swiss air technology company IQAir.

For the second year running, Columbus, Ohio, was America's most polluted major city, reporting an annual average 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) of particulate pollutants smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), nearly three times the WHO's safety standard of 5 µg/m³.

Chicago, Illinois (13 µg/m³); Indianapolis, Indiana (12.6 µg/m³); Nashville, Tennessee (12.3 µg/m³); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (11.9 µg/m³); New York City, New York (11.6 µg/m³); Charlotte, North Carolina (11.1 µg/m³); Louisville, Kentucky (11 µg/m³); Fort Worth (10.7 µg/m³) and Houston (10.6 µg/m³)—both in Texas—all made the list in 2023.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Newsweek.