Metro Atlanta suffers from the third-worst levels of ozone pollution, commonly known as smog, in the Southeast, according to a study released Wednesday by the American Lung Association.
The organization’s annual “State of the Air” report also ranks the Atlanta region fourth-worst in the Southeast for particle pollution, often referred to as soot. The report measured air quality across the U.S. from 2021 to 2023 and found that nearly half of the U.S. population lives in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution.
In addition to Atlanta, the Augusta area also ranked fourth-worst in the Southeast for soot, though it was found to be among the cleanest in the nation for smog. Meanwhile, Savannah’s air quality declined in the rankings, with its smog rating falling from an “A” to a “B”, signaling a worsening trend in ozone pollution.
