Despite numerous environmental laws being enacted over the decades, pollution remains a major issue in the United States. Everyday human-made activities like manufacturing processes, transportation, and waste generation continue to
onto the land, sea, and in the air. These pollutants are not only causing negative effects on the natural environment but are also putting the health of millions of Americans across the country at risk.
Millions of Americans are breathing unhealthy air
The burning of fossil fuels is a leading cause of air pollution, and the most dangerous pollutants released by this activity are fine particulate matter (PM2.5). It is estimated that more than 90 million
Americans live in counties with failing grades for year-round particle pollution, putting them at risk of adverse health effects like cancer, strokes, and premature death. The
highest average PM2.5 levels in the U.S. are often observed in California, with vehicle emissions, industrial processes, and wildfires all contributing to unhealthy air quality across the country’s most populous state.
Although
air quality in the U.S. has improved considerably since the Clean Air Act was enacted in the 1970s,
air pollution remains a concern throughout the country, particularly among minorities.
The U.S. water crisis
Clean and safe water is not always guaranteed in the U.S., with drinking water samples often found to contain a cocktail of harmful chemicals. These include, but are not limited to, arsenic, nitrates, lead, and 'forever chemicals' (PFAS), the latter of which have been
detected in almost half U.S. tap water. Harmful pollutants make their way into water bodies through various practices and factors, such as agricultural run-off,
industrial waste releases, and corrosion in aging distribution infrastructure. These contaminations have led to major public health catastrophes in the U.S. One such example is the Flint, Michigan water crisis between 2014 and 2019, in which thousands of residents were exposed to dangerous levels of lead. Polluted drinking water is the
biggest environmental concern in the U.S., with almost 60 percent of American adults worrying a great deal about this issue.
Land pollution and hazardous sites
One of the main causes of land pollution is the accumulation of waste. Americans generate some 300 million tons of municipal solid waste every year, of which half is
dumped at landfill sites. The U.S. is also home to thousands of
hazardous waste sites known as “Superfund sites”, which are among the most polluted locations in the country, and include abandoned landfills, mines, and other industrial sites. Land pollution is also a major source of water pollution. Chemicals from waste sites can leak into groundwater sources when not properly managed, while solid waste, particularly
plastic waste items, often ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans.
What is the U.S. doing to address pollution?
The U.S. has done a lot in terms of environmental protection measures over the years, like the passing of the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, and now more actions are planned in the face of rising concerns. To prevent a worsening water crisis, billions of U.S. dollars are set to be invested under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over the coming years to
improve the nations drinking water. In April 2024, the U.S. also placed the first ever federal limits on PFAS in drinking water. More stringent
emissions standards for vehicles have also been introduced in a bid to improve air quality, while
funding through the Inflation Reduction Act will encourage the widespread transition to clean energy and electric vehicle adoption, which will also significantly reduce air pollution.
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