Discover the Ohio Town With the State’s Worst Air Quality

According to the 2022 World Air Quality Report from IQAir, Columbus, Ohio, not only has the worst air quality in the state; it has the poorest air quality of any major city in the United States. However, measuring air quality is complicated, and not everyone accepts the validity of this report.

Fine Particulate Matter

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the most common standard used to measure air quality. AQI measures five main air pollutants: aerosols and airborne particles, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and ground-level ozone. 

The study by the Swiss air technology company, IQAir, was more targeted, focusing on fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. Fine particulate matter is the smallest air pollutant, as its name suggests. However, it is also the most dangerous. PM2.5 are the particles that are most easily inhaled into the lungs, which then make their way into the bloodstream. According to the American Lung Association, particle pollution can lead to asthma attacks, as well as heart attacks, strokes, and lung cancer.

Columbus’ average concentration of PM2.5 was 13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) in 2022. The World Health Organization’s guideline for PM2.5 is less than five µg/m3. The Environmental Protection Agency has a less stringent guideline of less than 12 µg/m3. By either standard, the air quality in Columbus is unhealthy. Using fine particulate pollutants as the measurement, Columbus has the worst air quality of any major U.S. city.

It should be noted, though, that the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) disputes some of the findings in this report. Officials claim the IQAir study appears to merge data from highly precise regulatory monitors with data from low-cost air sensors, which MORPC contends are not as accurate.

Why Is the Air in Columbus Polluted?

No single component is responsible for a city’s air quality. Rather, a myriad of complex factors combine to produce the AQI in a metro area.

Fine particulate pollution comes from fossil fuels, construction, wildfires, and coal burning, among other sources. In Columbus, for example, the population is fairly spread out. This can result in longer commutes and more driving in general, which, in turn, increases pollution. 

Manufacturing and industry are the mainstays of Ohio’s economy. The state is also a thoroughfare for the trucking industry. Major highways like Interstates 70 and 71 run right through the heart of Columbus.

It’s not just the city of Columbus, though. The state of Ohio ties with Georgia for the second-worst air quality among all U.S. states.

MORPC releases daily reports of the region’s air quality. On June 21, 2022, the AQI in central Ohio was 143, the highest reading for the center of the Buckeye State in ten years. Anything over 100 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. A reading of 150 is considered unhealthy for everyone.

Ohio’s Wildlife and AQI

The quality of the air doesn’t just affect humans. Wildlife can suffer, as well. Some toxic air pollutants can accumulate in the food chain after depositing in soils and surface waters. Fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals can all suffer the consequences.

Some of these consequences in animals can include decreased fertility, weakened immune systems, and liver and lung diseases. Both human and animal life benefit when air quality improves.

It’s Not All Bad News in Columbus

MORPC released a report showing a significant improvement in the ozone levels in Columbus in 2022. The American Lung Association also reports the air quality is improving in Columbus. Franklin County received a “C” grade in the American Lung Association’s 2022 State of the Air Report. While that may not sound too impressive, the same area received an “F” in the 2019 report. 

Meanwhile, Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) and Hamilton County (Cincinnati) both received an “F” in the 2022 report. Columbus’ reign as the Ohio city with the poorest air quality may be short-lived. The second and third largest cities in the Buckeye State may soon overtake the capital city in this ignominious category.

Even IQAir, which awarded Columbus the title of worst air quality in the U.S., reports on its website that “Columbus air quality is generally clean.”

Columbus is seeking ways to keep the trend moving in the right direction. Among other initiatives, the city is moving toward electric buses and is also implementing a rebate program for e-bike purchases.

World’s Most Polluted Places

In this discussion of poor air quality, it is important to keep things in perspective. Columbus is not among the world’s most polluted cities. The United States as a whole is not one of the world’s most polluted nations. Neither is anywhere close to the most polluted places in the world.

The IQAir report found that the top five most polluted countries in 2022 were Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh. The most polluted cities globally were Lahore, Pakistan; Hotan, China; Bhiwadi, India; Delhi, India; and Peshawar, Pakistan.

Where Is Columbus Located on a Map?

Columbus is the state capital of Ohio. It is also home to The Ohio State University, the Center of Science and Industry Museum and research center, and the Scioto Mile — a line of parks and trails on either side of the Scioto River.