New Report Finds New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury Air Quality Worsens, Now Among Worst in Northeast for Smog; Fairfield County Retains Title for Worst Ozone in New York City metro area

Today, the American Lung Association released the 2025 “State of the Air” report, which reveals that both ozone smog and daily particle pollution worsened in the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area, earning it the ranking of 38th most polluted metro area in the nation for ozone and 70th worst for particle pollution.  In Litchfield County, the number of unhealthy days for short term particle pollution more than tripled, dragging its grade down from a B in last year’s report to a D this year.  For ozone pollution in the state, both Middlesex and Fairfield Counties maintained F grades, with Fairfield recording over 20 unhealthy ozone days marking it – once again - as the worst county in the New York City metro area. Nationally, the report found that 156 million people (46%) are living in areas that had unhealthy levels of air pollution.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone air pollution (also known as smog), and year-round and short-term spikes in particle pollution (also known as soot) over a three-year period. The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023.

“The air pollutants covered in this report are widespread and can impact anyone’s health. Both ozone and particle pollution can cause premature death and other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, preterm births and impaired cognitive functioning later in life. Particle pollution can also cause lung cancer,” said Ruth Canovi for the American Lung Association. “Unfortunately, too many people in Connecticut are living with unhealthy levels of both ozone and particle pollution. This air pollution is causing kids to have asthma attacks, making people who work outdoors sick and unable to work, and leading to low birth weight in babies. We urge Connecticut policymakers to take action to improve our air quality, including HB5004 and SJ36.  These policies will help Connecticut reduce pollution, enhance renewable energy and improve our access to healthy air.  In addition, we are calling on everyone to support the incredibly important work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”

Ground-level Ozone Pollution in the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area: 
The “State of the Air” report looked at levels of ozone “smog,” the air pollutant affecting the largest number of people in the United States. The New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area ranked 38th worst in the nation for ozone pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—7.2 days per year, an F grade, in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Last year’s report recorded 6.5 unhealthy ozone days per year, an F grade.  

Particle Pollution in the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area: 
The report also tracked short-term spikes in particle pollution, which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly. The New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area ranked 70th worst in the nation for short-term particle pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days—3 days per year, a D grade, in Litchfield County, Connecticut. This was worse than the area's ranking in last year's report of 105th worst, with 0.7 days per year, a B grade.  

For the year-round average level of particle pollution, the area’s worst county, Hartford County, Connecticut, received a passing grade for pollution levels below the federal standard. The New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area ranked 176th worst in the nation. This was better than the area's ranking in last year's report of 146th worst in the nation. 

In addition to the New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT metro area its worth noting that no county in Connecticut earned higher than a D grade for short term particle pollution, and half of the reporting counties earned failing grades for ozone. 

The “State of the Air” report found that 156 million people in the U.S. (46%) live in an area that received a failing grade for at least one measure of air pollution and 42.5 million people live in areas with failing grades for all three measures. The report also found that a person of color in the U.S. is more than twice as likely as a white individual to live in a community with a failing grade on all three pollution measures. Notably, Hispanic individuals are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in a community with three failing grades.

The American Lung Association in CT is supporting policies in the state that will reduce pollution, expand sustainable energy and improve health in the state.  HB5004 is a bill that will help Connecticut meet our emissions goals and SJ36 takes important steps towards establishing a Constitutional Right to clean and healthy air.

In this year’s “State of the Air” report, the Lung Association is calling on everyone to support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA is essential to protecting people’s health from ozone and particle pollution. Without EPA staff and programs, families won’t know what’s in the air they are breathing, and efforts to clean up air pollution will be undone. Join the American Lung Association in advocating to protect EPA’s expert staff and lifesaving programs. See the full report results and take action at Lung.org/sota.

Get involved and help the mission of American Lung Association. Registration is open for the LUNG FORCE Walk Hartford, coming up on June 7^th at Great River Park. Sign up today at LUNGFORCE.org/Hartford