Air Pollution 101

According to the World Health Organization, nearly two million people die prematurely from the health effects of air pollution every year. Defined as the contamination of air by smoke and harmful gases, air pollution is a critical environmental concern that affects all of us.

As one of the top-ranked areas for ozone and particle pollution, the St. Louis region is no stranger to poor air quality conditions. In fact, summertime ozone levels have exceeded federal-based health standards every year since the passage of the Clean Air Act. But, how does this pollution form? What causes it? And, how does it affect our health?