A rising number of Americans — nearly 2 in 5 — has been living with unhealthy levels of air pollution, while the United States experienced a record number of days between 2020 and 2022 with very unhealthy or hazardous air, according to a new report. More than 90 million people are living in places where the air quality is worse than a new U.S. standard, the American Lung Association reported Wednesday in its annual State of the Air assessment, which detailed a significant increase based on the stricter national particle pollution standard. The total includes 72 million people who would not have been counted under the looser federal standard — reflecting the dramatic effect of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new limit, which was announced this year. Climate change — fueling wildfires, drought and dust — is not only worsening air quality, but also making pollution increasingly challenging to combat, experts said, setting up a new reality for public health and canceling out years of gains made through the Clean Air Act.

More From The Washington Post (subscription required):