According to the American Lung Association, Denver, Aurora and Fort Collins are among the most polluted cities in the entire United States thus far in 2017.
While ozone pollution has improved in Denver, Aurora and Fort Collins, they still remain among the 15 most polluted cities in the entire nation, according to the American Lung Association. Denver and the surrounding Aurora area had the 11th-worst ozone levels, and Fort Collins had the 15th-worst. The report ranked the 25 most polluted and the 25 least polluted cities in the country. For years, Denver and the northern Front Range have struggled with meeting federal ozone standards. You can view the entire report here. The American Lung Association credits Colorado's ozone problem to multiple causes, including the oil and gas industry, vehicle exhaust, coal-burning power plants and a wide range of different weather conditions. Ozone (O3) is a gas molecule made up of three oxygen atoms. It's often called "smog" and is very harmful to breathe in because it attacks lung tissue by reacting chemically with it. Ozone is developed in the atmosphere from vehicle exhaust pipes and many other causes, and when those gases come into contact with sunlight, they react and form smog. Nearly everyone is at risk from breathing ozone, but others are more vulnerable to its effects: children and teens; adults 65 and older; people who spend a large amount of time outdoors; people with existing lung diseases, such as asthma; and people with cardiovascular disease. In addition, some evidence suggests that women are more susceptible to the effects of breathing in ozone, as well as those who suffer from obesity.
Now, you're probably asking yourself, what are the detrimental effects of breathing in ozone? How does it affect your health?
- Premature death: breathing in ozone can shorten your lifespan. Even low levels of ozone can deadly.
- Immediate breathing problems: such as shortness of breath, coughing, asthma attacks, increased risk of respiratory infections, pulmonary inflammation and various lung diseases.
- Cardiovascular effects: being exposed to ozone levels for one or two days can increase the risk of heart attacks in middle-aged adults without heart disease.
