Report: DFW ranks 17th among cities with ozone-polluted air

Fort Worth, Texas - Air quality in North Texans has improved, but ozone makes Dallas-Fort Worth one of the most-polluted metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to a new report from the American Lung Association.

“State of the Air” is produced annually by the American Lung Association and measures high ozone days and short- and long-term particle pollution. The report found that air quality worsened in many cities and that more than 43 percent of people in the U.S. live with unhealthy air.

In Dallas-Fort Worth, air quality got slightly better. The area dropped to 17th on the list of most-polluted cities, one spot better than in 2018.

At No. 9, Houston was the only Texas city to rank higher on the most-polluted list. The top three cities on the list are in California: Los Angeles-Long Beach (No. 1), followed by Visalia (No. 2) and Bakersfield (No. 3).

A 10-county region in North Texas is in nonattainment for ozone levels. Ozone can reach unhealthy levels on hot sunny days in urban environments. Motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, and chemical solvents contribute to ozone pollution. Even relatively low levels of ozone can have negative health effects.