Report places New York City in top 10 most polluted US cities
NEW YORK -- New York City has been ranked number eight on a list of most polluted cities in the United States.
It's part of a new report that found 97% of American cities did not meet air quality guidelines from the World Health Organization.
According to IQAir, in 2021, Los Angeles was the city with the most pollution. Researchers measured aerosol particles that can harm human health, also known as PM 2.5 levels.
L.A. reached 13.7 micrograms, more than twice the acceptable level.
"We're seeing continually increasing concentrations in PM 2.5, and in several of the most populated cities in the United States, we're actually back to pre-pandemic levels," said Dr. Christi Schroeder, IQAir quality science manager.
The report blames the poor air quality on the increasing severity of wildfires, as well as fossil fuel combustion and vehicle emissions.
