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WUNC reports from Greensboro about Guilford County and surrounding area.

Greensboro Air Quality Improving, But Still Receives F-rating

Greensboro received an F-rating for air quality.
Derrick Matthews, via Flickr, Creative Commons

The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report is out, and it slots Greensboro as the 42nd most polluted metro area in the county.  The city received an F-rating.

Laura-Kate Bender, who worked on the report, says the news wasn’t all bad.

"Despite getting an ‘F,' the area actually got its lowest overall number of smog days," she says. "So even though it received a failing grade, it’s a significant improvement over last year."

Bender also says it’s important to remember that some air pollution drifts in from other states.

"When it comes to ozone pollution, or smog, that comes from industrial sources like power plants and from automobiles; Soot also comes from automobiles and industrial sources, but also comes from wood burning stoves and fires," she says.

Greensboro has two power plants, and its metro area includes Winston-Salem and High Point.

The American Lung Association’s report looks at data from soot and smog pollution across the country. Charlotte ranked 19th in the most polluted metro areas in the U.S., while Raleigh-Durham was tied for 74th.

The Lung Association is encouraging people to download a free smartphone app so that they can check air quality levels every day.
 

Jeff Tiberii is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Jeff joined WUNC in 2011. During his 20 years in public radio, he was Morning Edition Host at WFDD and WUNC’s Greensboro Bureau Chief and later, the Capitol Bureau Chief. Jeff has covered state and federal politics, produced the radio documentary “Right Turn,” launched a podcast, and was named North Carolina Radio Reporter of the Year four times.
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