Air Pollution Sources

FACT:

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have some of the worst air pollution in the United States — with more than 1.2 million people at risk.

Our Region's Air is Still Polluted

Source: Pittsburgh’s Air Quality Data Analysis by John Graham, Ph. D., Clean Air Task Force 2024.

In 2023, air quality in the Pittsburgh region was considered “Moderate” (PM2.5 51-100) to “Unhealthy” (PM2.5, 101-150) for 263 days due to PM2.5 levels, more than half of the year. [3] Air quality unhealthy days increased 2021-2023 primarily due to wildfires and better air quality data during the pandemic in 2020 is no longer included.

Source: EPA AQI Data, Pittsburgh CBSA, 2021-2023

From 2021 to 2023, the Liberty/Clairton air monitor in Pittsburgh registered annual particulate matter (PM 2.5) concentrations worse than 90% of all monitors in the U.S.

Ten other monitors in Allegheny County measured annual PM 2.5 levels worse than 50% of the U.S. None of the monitors in Allegheny County met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual standard of 5 ug/m3 for fine particle pollution.

During the same period, 8 out of 12 monitors that measure daily PM2.5 levels in the Pittsburgh region recorded PM-2.5 levels in or below the worst 50% of all monitors in the U.S. None of the monitors in Allegheny County met WHO’s standard of 15 ug/m3 for daily levels of fine particle pollution.

Of the three ozone monitors in Allegheny County, two were in the worst 40% and one was in the worst 60% of all monitors in the U.S.

Source: Pittsburgh’s Air Quality Data Analysis by John Graham, Ph. D., Clean Air Task Force 2024

The three sulfur dioxide monitors in Allegheny County met the 1-hour standard levels. However, of these three sulfur dioxide monitors, two were in the worst 10% and one was in the worst 60% of all monitors in the U.S

Source: Pittsburgh’s Air Quality Data Analysis by John Graham, Ph. D., Clean Air Task Force 2024

Percentage Breakdown

Manufacturing, Electricity Generation, Land Fill

0 % Industrial

Manufacturing, Electricity Generation, Land Fill

0 % Transportation

Wood Burning, Home Emissions

0 % Residential

< 0 % Other

The Climate Clock is Ticking ...

Fighting Climate Change

The Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County will push the planet over the edge on climate change.

The Shell Petrochemical Plant is permitted by the DEP to emit to emit 2.2 million tons per year of CO2 and CO2 equivalents, which is equal to putting an additional 430,836 passenger cars on the road for a full year.

It will take 1,930,710 acres of trees to capture each year’s worth of CO2 emissions from the cracker plant. This is equal to 6.5% of the total area of the state of Pennsylvania, 5 or just under 12 percent of all of PA’s forest coverage.

Our Region's Air is Still Polluted

From 2021 to 2023, the Liberty/Clairton air monitor in Pittsburgh registered annual particulate matter (PM 2.5) concentrations worse than 90% of all monitors in the U.S.

Ten other monitors in Allegheny County measured annual PM 2.5 levels worse than 50% of the U.S. None of the monitors in Allegheny County met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual standard of 5 ug/m3 for fine particle pollution.

The three sulfur dioxide monitors in Allegheny County met the 1-hour standard levels. However, of these three sulfur dioxide monitors, two were in the worst 10% and one was in the worst 60% of all monitors in the U.S

Percentage Breakdown

The Climate Clock is Ticking ...

Fighting Climate Change

The Shell Petrochemical Plant in Beaver County will push the planet over the edge on climate change.

Featured Studies

GASP Guide to Local Air Pollution

American Lung Association, State of the Air 2024

ECONOMIC POLICY IS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY – Prioritizing Environmental Progress in Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development