New Report: New Orleans’ Air Quality Worsens; Residents Exposed to More Unhealthy Ozone Smog and Particle Pollution

According to the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report, released today, air quality in the New Orleans metro area has worsened. After ten consecutive years of being among the cleanest in nation for levels of daily particle pollution, New Orleans experienced increased levels of the pollutant, along with increased ozone smog. Additionally, the report found that nearly half of the U.S. population live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Extreme heat and wildfires contributed to worsening air quality in much of the country.

The Lung Association’s 26th annual “State of the Air” report grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone pollution, also known as “smog,” and particle pollution, also known as “soot,” over a three-year period (2021-2023). Findings for the New Orleans metro area include:

• Ground-level Ozone Pollution:
  • Number of Unhealthy Days per Year: 1.7 days (0.7 days in 2024 report)
  • Grade: C (B in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 108th worst out of 228 (98th worst in 2024 report)
• Short-Term Spikes in Particle Pollution:
  • Number of Unhealthy Days Per Year: 0.3 days (0 days in 2024 report)
  • Grade: B (A in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 177th worst out of 223 (tied for 1st cleanest in 2024 report)
• Year-Round Average Level of Particle Pollution:
  • Grade: Passing grade, pollution levels below the federal standard (passing grade in 2024 report)
  • National Ranking: 110th worst out of 204 (118th worst in 2024 report)

Ozone and particle pollution are widespread and can impact anyone’s health. Both pollutants 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.

“Unfortunately, too many people in the New Orleans metro area are living with unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution. This air pollution is a threat to human health at every stage of life—increasing the risk of premature birth and low birth weight in babies to causing or worsening lung and heart disease to shortening lives,” said Eric Weinzettle, Louisiana director of advocacy for the Lung Association. “We urge Louisiana policymakers to take action to improve our air quality and we are calling on everyone to support the incredibly important work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Without EPA staff and programs, Louisianans won’t know what’s in the air they’re breathing, and efforts to clean up air pollution will be undone.”

In addition to the New Orleans metro area, other notable findings across Louisiana include:

• Both ozone smog and levels of year-round particle pollution increased in the Baton Rouge metro area. It tied for worst metro area in the Southeast for ozone pollution.
• Ozone smog in the Lafayette metro area worsened slightly but retained “B” grade. Daily particle pollution improved slightly, and year-round particle pollution remained unchanged.
• Air pollution in the Lake Charles metro area worsened for all three measures.
• For the 11th consecutive year, the Monroe metro area was listed among the nation's cleanest for ozone smog with “A” grade. It worsened slightly for both daily and year-round particle pollution.
• While the Shreveport metro area is listed among the nation’s cleanest for daily particle pollution, it received a failing grade for year-round levels of particle pollution.  

The “State of the Air” report relies on data from air quality monitors managed by state, local and Tribal air pollution control authorities in counties across the U.S. In Louisiana, only 22 out of 64 parishes could be graded for at least one measure of air quality. This underscores the need for more monitors and access to air quality data so that people and communities can take measures to safeguard their health. 

On a national level, 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. 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 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. 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.