What are you really breathing in? NJ counties graded on air quality

A 2024 report from the American Lung Association suggests air quality is improving in New Jersey, but there are still parts of the state that see pollution data moving in the wrong direction.

According to the "State of the Air" report, which looked at ozone smog and particle pollution (aka soot), more than 131 million people in the U.S. live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution.

"Climate change is making air pollution more likely to form and more difficult to clean up," said Michael Seilback, the American Lung Association's assistant vice president for nationwide advocacy.

The New York-Newark metro area, which covers several New Jersey counties, is the 13th most polluted metro area in the country, according to the report. The Philadelphia-Reading-Camden metro area is considered to be the 35th most polluted in the nation.

Air quality in New Jersey

Air quality is measured in 16 of New Jersey's counties.

In the Garden State specifically, nine counties posted their best results for ozone smog, which is typically formed in the atmosphere through pollutants emitted by vehicles and factories.

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Based on the number of elevated ozone days, and their intensity, two counties received a failing grade: Bergen and Mercer. Five counties — Atlantic, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic and Warren — earned 'A' grades in this category.

The report likens ozone pollution to a sunburn on the lungs.

'A' and 'B' grades were earned across the board for particle pollution, which is produced by sources such as wildfires. Seilback said New Jersey's grades may worsen by next year's report, which will take in to account the poor air quality days experienced in 2023 due to wildfires in Canada.

Particle pollution is more likely to have a palpable impact on individuals in the moment, experts say. Seilback said on a bad day, its like rubbing a piece of sandpaper on one's lung tissue.

Both ozone and particle pollution have proven to cause premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma, heart attacks, strokes, and preterm births. Particle pollution is also a cause of lung cancer.

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