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Denver Named 12th Most Polluted City In The Country

DENVER (CBS4) - An air quality report card ranks Denver as the 12th most polluted city in the country for ozone. The American Lung Association released its 2019 "State of the Air" report on Wednesday.

denver brown cloud
Denver covered in a haze in March of 2019. (credit: CBS)

The report looks into levels of ozone and particle pollution from city, county, state, tribal and federal agencies for 2015-2017.

Compared to last year, the report says Denver experienced more unhealthy days of high ozone, however Denver saw lower levels of particle pollution throughout the year.

The report also found Denver had fewer days when short-term particle pollution reached unhealthy levels.

"In addition to challenges here in Denver, the 20th anniversary 'State of the Air' report highlights that more than four in 10 Americans are living with unhealthy air, and we're heading in the wrong direction when it comes to protecting public health," said American Lung Association director of advocacy JoAnna Strother.

A the population grows in the Denver metro area, it's clear the air quality will have moments of decline. However, as CBS4 Meteorologist Chris Spears notes, poor air quality issues have been around for decades.

LINK: American Lung Association State Of The Air Report

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