How polluted is North Carolinas air?
[Back to Top] North Carolina air quality is better than the federal standard for four of six criteria pollutants: nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and carbon monoxide. However, several areas in North Carolina violate the ground-level ozone standard as well as the fine particulate matter annual standard. Because air pollution levels are often influenced by weather conditions, some years are worse than others. In 2002, a hot, dry year, we experienced 29 Ozone Action Days of air quality code orange or red in the Triangle, 31 in the Triad, and 36 in the Charlotte area. That’s about a month of unhealthful air conditions in each of North Carolina’s three major population centers. The Division of Air Quality’s Ozone Forecasting Center has compiled historical statistics of ozone levels in North Carolina’s ozone forecast areas.
