US Air Quality Report: Mixed Grades and Disproportionate Impact on Minorities and Western States.

One in three Americans live in areas with harmful levels of air pollutants, with almost 120 million people in the US exposed to unhealthy levels of soot and smog, according to the American Lung Association's annual report. People of color are almost four times more likely to live in the most polluted places than white Americans, with 54% of those living in counties with failing air quality being people of color. The report also highlights a widening disparity between air quality in eastern and western states, especially for soot particles. The EPA has been urged to set stronger standards to protect public health.