It’s the kind of news one literally chokes on: the Eugene-Springfield area ranks in the top three worst metropolitan areas in the U.S. for air quality.
The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report puts the neighboring cities third worst for annual – and second worst – for 24-hour particle pollution.
Matt Sorensen is with the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency. He says the report is based on county-wide data from the previous three years, which includes Oakridge, a rural community that sees wildfires in the summer, and lots of wood-burning stove usage in winter.
“They're in a deep, bowl-like canyon in the middle of a forest,” said Sorensen. “So not only are they more prone to inversions in the winter, but they also – during the summer months, smoke is happening nearby and being blown in their direction. It stays in town. And also those of us that live here in the Eugene-Springfield Valley, we certainly experience the inversions during the winter.”
Sorensen recommends locals use indoor air-purifiers for their homes, and wear N-95 masks to reduce breathing in particulate matter. LRAPA’s website also provides regular Air Quality Index readings that people can check regularly.
For worst air quality on a short term basis, Fairbanks-College AK was ranked #1, while Bakersfield-Delano CA was tops for year-round particle pollution.
Conversely, the cleanest metropolitan areas were Asheville-Waynesville-Brevard NC (short term basis) and Bozeman, MT (year-round.)
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