INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – The American Lung Association’s latest ‘State of the Air’ report doesn’t bode much better for the Inland Empire.

Both Riverside and San Bernardino were given F’s for ozone in the air and particle pollution. However, the annual report for Riverside had 90 fewer days of particle pollution since 2000.

The association also looked at the health of local residents and reported just over 64-thousand pediatric case of asthma in the two cities and 152-thousand individuals suffering from the lung disease COPD.

For the first time, all 25 of the nation's cities with the most daily particle pollution were in the West, mostly in California.

The report also found that people in the United States experienced more “very unhealthy” or “hazardous” air quality days than any time in the survey’s history.

Story Date: May 5, 2024