Lung Association Gives Northampton County an 'F'

Northampton County's level of ozone has gotten it an "F" in a new report by the American Lung Association.

The association's 2012 "State of the Air" report also found that the Allentown-Bethlehem-and-Easton metro area ranks among the 35 most polluted cities in the nation for ozone and daily and year-round particle pollution.

In this case, "ozone" and "particle pollution" are just another way of saying "smog" and "soot."

This is the  the county failed to meet the ALA's standards for pollution. Northampton County has gotten worse when it comes to short and long-term particle pollution the report says. Last year, the county was number 33 and 57 for short and long term pollution; this year, it's jumped to 27th and 32nd in those categories, the ALA says.

“State of the Air shows that we’re making steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air as a result of cleanup efforts required under the Clean Air Act," Deb Brown, president and CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic said in a news release. 

"But millions of Americans across the country, including residents of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area, are still forced to breathe unhealthy levels of air pollution as a result of air quality standards that are outdated," she added.

Northampton County isn't alone in getting an "F" for its ozone level. A majority of Pennsylvania's counties scored the same way.

Only one county--Cambria--received a B, the highest grade in the report for Pennsylvania. There were six counties that got a "C" and five that got a "D." 

Among the other findings:

• Nearly 10 percent of the county's population--close to 28,000 out of 298,990--has asthma.
• 10,478 people have chronic bronchitis.
• 5,481 people have emphysema.
• 90,146 people have cardiovascular disease.

Are you someone with some sort of respiratory problem? Have you noticed a change in the air? Let us know in the comments section.