Erie County's air quality grades drop in 2024 American Lung Association report
Erie County is no longer an honor student when it comes to the American Lung Association's annual State of the Air Report.
The county earned a C in the association's 2024 report, published April 23, for both 24-hour particle (soot) and ozone pollution (smog). It had received an A for ozone pollution for the past three years and an A in 24-hour particle pollution since 2017.
You can blame the Canadian wildfires, which spread smoke and soot throughout the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions in June and July 2023.
From 2023: Summer of soot and sewage: Erie experiences air, beach water pollution problems
"The wildfires affected air quality for much of the northeastern United States, even into New England," said Kevin Stewart, the association's director of environmental health. "The American Lung Association was as surprised as anyone how significant the wildfires were."
Erie County reported three high ozone pollution days and four high particle pollution days from 2021-23, the years covered in the 2024 report. All three high ozone days fell within the "orange" category, meaning they were unhealthy for sensitive groups such as those with lung diseases.
One of the county's four high particle days also was within the "orange" category, while the other three days were in the "red" category, meaning the air was unhealthy even for people who didn't have lung issues.
All of the high particle days were reported between June 1-July 17, 2023. Erie County reported no high ozone or particle pollution days from 2018 to 2022.
"Both ozone and particle pollution can lead to premature death and cause serious health issues such as asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, preterm births and even problems with cognitive function later in life," said Elizabeth Hensil, the association's director of advocacy in Pennsylvania. "Particle pollution can also increase the risk of lung cancer."
The Erie-Meadville metro area, which was listed in previous reports as among the cleanest U.S. cities for both ozone and particle pollution, saw its ranking drop. It was listed the 130th most polluted for ozone and 104th for particle pollution.
The report did not say how many metro areas were ranked. Erie and Meadville share a single monitoring device, which is located in Erie.
Adjacent counties also saw their air quality grades decline in the latest report. Here is a look:
Ashtabula County, Ohio, earned a D for ozone pollution with nine days unhealthy for sensitive groups. It was not monitored for particle pollution.
Chautauqua County, New York, earned a D for ozone pollution, with nine days unhealthy for sensitive groups. It earned a B for 24-hour particle pollution with one day unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Crawford County did not receive any grades because it was not monitored.
Erie County received an incomplete grade for year-round particle pollution, meaning that data from its monitor was not available for all three years of the reporting period. Chautauqua County earned a passing grade, while Ashtabula County was not graded due to its lack of a monitor.
Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Canadian wildfires cause drop in Erie County's grade on air quality
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
US Air Quality Alerts Lifted Nationwide
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As of early Friday morning, the United States has no active air quality alerts after a week of warnings, partly related to smoke from widespread Canadian wildfires. The National Weather Service's (NWS) online map showed the removal of all advisories that had covered the Midwest, Northeast, and other regions earlier in the week. Why It Matters The clearing of air quality alerts marks a significant improvement after days of hazardous smoke drifted from Canada into the U.S., leading to unhealthy air in cities from Minneapolis to New York. Widespread exposure to wildfire smoke heightened health risks, particularly for sensitive groups, and prompted public health warnings in multiple states. What To Know On Thursday, 10 states were affected by air quality alerts, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. While not all were explicitly linked to wildfire smoke, an alert for Minnesota warned that smoke had caused levels of fine particles to climb in to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category, which includes infants and older adults. "Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible," the alert said at the time. It also suggested reducing other activities that contribute to air pollution, such as outdoor burning. On Monday, Ohio, Maine, and New Hampshire were under air quality alerts, with officials in Maine recommending that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. Tuesday saw alerts issued for parts of Arizona and Ohio. On Wednesday, six Michigan counties were under air quality alert, with mapping from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showing high levels of air pollution in several other states, including Montana, and North Dakota. The sun is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in Canada as it rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City on June 11 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. The sun is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in Canada as it rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City on June 11 as seen from Jersey City, New People Are Saying Professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine Jonathan Grigg, with Queen Mary, University of London, previously told Newsweek: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults. "Their trajectory can be deviated so they don't actually achieve their maximum lung function." There are also "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, Grigg said. Additionally, Grigg said conditions such as asthma are also exacerbated by exposure to air pollution. What Happens Next? Though there may be no air quality alerts for now, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting that smoke from Canadian wildfires could continue to impact the U.S. through the summer, leading to hazy skies and potentially promoting additional air quality alerts in the coming months.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
10 Hours Into Flight, Millennial's Heart Stops
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. What started as a carefree girls' trip was nearly fatal for 34-year-old Emily Jansson, a Canadian woman who suffered a massive pulmonary embolism midair during a long-haul flight. "On February 5 of this year, during a solo long-haul direct flight from Toronto to Dubai, on the way to meet my friends for a girls' trip, I suffered a 'catastrophic medical event,' according to my cardiologist," Jansson told Newsweek. "About 10.5 hours into the flight, I was feeling totally fine and I finally got up—for the first time that flight—to use the restroom. I had been sleeping up until this point," Jansson said. But what happened next was a medical emergency that most passengers and travelers only imagine in nightmares. "While waiting for the bathroom, I had a deep, strange pain in my chest, coughed three times, and that was the last thing I remember," Jansson said. "I collapsed, hit my head on something, and went into cardiac arrest due to a massive bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism. I was unconscious for upwards of five minutes or more, according to the flight attendant who I remain in touch with." "I had a deep, strange pain in my chest, coughed three times and that was the last thing I remember." Thankfully, there was a doctor onboard the flight who immediately jumped into action. Flight attendants administered oxygen and monitored her during the remaining 2.5 hours of the flight, but when she landed in Dubai, Jansson's ordeal was far from over. "I was held in Dubai airport for 3.5 hours upon landing while they administered their own medical tests and took my passport away for immigration purposes," Jansson said. "It was nine hours between landing and getting to the hospital before starting the actual treatment." Pictures from the viral video where Emily shared her story with others. Pictures from the viral video where Emily shared her story with others. @alwayssingingmom/TikTok Jansson was eventually admitted to Rashid Hospital where she spent six days in intensive care. Jansson said: "The doctors told me it's a miracle I'm alive because of the amount of time it took before actually receiving treatment at the hospital. However, I must say that the treatment and care I received at Dubai's hospital was incredible and they are amazing." "I died on a plane three months ago." Jansson, who had no prior history of blood clots or thrombophilia, was wearing medical-grade compression tights and had been on a combined estrogen oral contraceptive. Her cardiologist identified the contraceptive, along with prolonged immobility during the 13-hour flight, as the cause of the medical crisis. "At the time, I was on an estrogen hormonal oral contraceptive pill. I had no prior history of blood clots or major risk factors, aside from being on the pill and prolonged immobility. My doctors in Dubai, followed by my care team in Canada, attributed the clots to a combination of long-haul immobility and estrogen-containing birth control," Jansson said. Are Contraceptives Dangerous During Long-Haul Flights? Delisa Skeete Henry, MD, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, told Newsweek: "Oral contraceptives, particularly combined estrogen-progestin pills, are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, which includes pulmonary embolism. [My recommendation is] to use the lowest-effective estrogen dose or consider progestin-only pills." She also recommends discontinuing oral contraceptive pills before major surgery or prolonged immobilization. Research shows that long-haul air travel doubles the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and that risk increases three- to fivefold when using combined oral contraceptives. "I had no idea about the clot risk when combining estrogen birth control with long-haul travel." When both factors are present, the risk can multiply more than 14 times, according to a case-control study published in 2003. This means women who fly long distances while taking hormonal birth control may face significantly greater danger than previously thought. Now in recovery, Jansson has shared her story publicly in hopes of helping others recognize the risks associated with long-haul travel and hormonal contraceptives. In a recent video on her TikTok page, she said: "I died on a plane three months ago, and it's so crazy because now I'm back working out. I'm going about my life but I literally died three months ago." "I had no idea about the clot risk when combining estrogen birth control with long-haul travel. No doctor had ever explained that to me," Jansson said. "I lived abroad in Singapore and Europe for 10 years, working for Interpol and traveled constantly for work, all while on the pill. I used to joke that my superpower was being able to sleep the whole way. Looking back now, that feels incredibly naive." Experts advise that women at higher risk of blood clots should take preventive measures during flights, including moving regularly, staying hydrated and using compression stockings. In very high-risk cases, it can be a good idea to stop use of hormonal contraceptives, but this should always be discussed with a health care provider. "It truly appears to have been a 'perfect storm' situation," Jansson said. "I'm on blood thinners for the foreseeable future and recovering well physically, though it's been a long and emotional road. I'm no longer on hormonal birth control." Jansson has been sharing her experience on TikTok, where millions of people have learned about the potential risks of flying and birth control combined. The response has been huge, and Jansson is thrilled she has been able to raise more awareness. "It's been emotional, but also really affirming to know it might help someone else avoid what I went through," she said. References Martinelli, I., Taioli, E., Battaglioli, T., Podda, G. M., Passamonti, S. M., Pedotti, P., & Mannucci, P. M. (2003). Risk of Venous Thromboembolism After Air Travel. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163 (22), 2771. Trenor, C. C., Chung, R. J., Michelson, A. D., Neufeld, E. J., Gordon, C. M., Laufer, M. R., & Emans, S. J. (2011). Hormonal Contraception and Thrombotic Risk: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Pediatrics, 127(2), 347—357.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canadian wildfire smoke chokes north-central Montana
Smoke in Helena is shown in 2021. North-central Montana could be in for a long year as Canadian smoke already is pouring into the state. (Photo Matt Volz / Kaiser Health News). Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted down heavily into Montana on Wednesday and Thursday, covering a large swath of north-central Montana. Air monitoring stations in Choteau, Cut Bank, Havre and Glasgow all had periods of 'Unhealthy' air over the last 48 hours, with air quality index moving over 200 on Wednesday morning in some towns. As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, the AQI in many of those places had dropped down into the moderate category. 'Low pressure moving across the state on Thursday will result in reductions in surface smoke concentrations,' Montana DEQ said in a Facebook post. 'A series of storms will provide beneficial rainfall for the region into the weekend.' When air gets smokey, it's best to be inside and avoid extreme outdoor physical exertion. Air filters can also help vulnerable populations. Fire have been burning in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan since May. Some Canadian smoke has even drifted as far as Europe. Over 7.8 million acres have burned in Canada this year, and there are over 200 active wildfires in Canada. The 25-year average for Canadian acreage burned from wildfires is 7.3 million acres. Montana has had several small wildfires early this season. Forecasts call for an active fire season in the state.
