The Rankings

Florida
Air Pollution: 2011

Air pollution comes from a variety of sources that include automobiles, factories, power plants and fires. These pollutants in the air can threaten our health, our environment, our animals, our crops and more. 

Although national air quality has improved in recent years, it’s important that we continue to work to eliminate pollutants from the air.

Air Pollution measures the fine particulates in the air we breathe. It is the population-weighted average exposure to particulates 2.5 micron and smaller for each county reporting within a state. Air pollution is monitored in many counties where population density is significant and/or where there have been pollution concerns in prior years. Population weighting of the county data adjusts the information to reflect the actual number of people potentially exposed to the particulate. In counties where pollution data is not available, the population was assumed to be exposed to the background level of particulate in the air quality control region and/or state. Background levels are estimated to be the average of the lowest measures in each region or state for each of the last three years. The ranks are based on data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.

Health studies have shown a significant association between exposure to fine particles and premature death from heart or lung disease. Other adverse effects on health from air pollution include decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, development of chronic bronchitis, irregular heartbeat, and nonfatal heart attacks. See www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/health.html for more information.