San Francisco Takes Gold in Low Ozone Competition
According to a new study in The New England Journal of Medicine, you're most likely to die of a respiratory illness in Riverside, California, and least likely in our very own SF. San Francisco comes in last place for concentrations of ground ozone among major cities, making it the safest place for avoiding lung disease.
Efforts to curb ground ozone levels by the EPA have waned in recent years, and the new study shows exactly what impact location and corresponding ozone levels have had on the health of 400,000 individuals over the course of 25 years. The study also tracked levels of airborne particulate matter--pollutants most associated with deaths from heart disease or stroke.
The best places to live for people with respiratory ailments are in the Great Plains, but among major cities San Francisco's levels were found lowest. Riverside topped the list, with 104 parts per billion, corresponding to a 50% increased risk of death. LA clocked in at 43%, with DC at 27% and NY at 25%.