最新的《空气状况》报告称，美国的空气质量比前几年严重得多

最新的《空气状况》报告称，美国的空气质量比前几年严重得多

The air quality in the United States is dramatically declining, leaving about 150 million people -- nearly half of America's population -- breathing unhealthy, heavily polluted air, according to the newly released "State of the Air" 2020 report by the American Lung Association.

根据美国肺脏协会最新发布的《空气状况》2020年报告，美国的空气质量正在急剧下降，导致约1.5亿人——接近美国人口的一半——呼吸着不健康、严重污染的空气。

"We're moving in the wrong direction, with nearly nine million more people breathing dirty air than in last year's report," said Paul Billings, the national senior vice president of public policy for the American Lung Association.

美国肺脏协会负责公共政策的全国高级副总裁保罗·比林斯说，“我们正在朝着错误的方向前进，与去年的报告相比，呼吸污浊空气的人数增加了近900万。”

That's particularly bad news for people like Tim Seib, a 37-year-old New York City regional theater director who has suffered from asthma his entire life.

这对蒂姆·塞布这样的人来说尤其是个坏消息。37岁的塞布是纽约市地区剧院的导演，一生都饱受哮喘之苦。

"Knowing we've let our air get worse is maddening to me because air quality directly affects my day to day health," Seib said. "It's not a political stance, it's not an ideology thing."

塞布说：“知道我们让空气变得更糟，我很恼火，因为空气质量直接影响到我的日常健康。”这不是政治立场，也不是意识形态问题。”

"When asthma symptoms start, you don't know when your next full breath of air is going to come. It almost feels like you're drowning," Seib continued.

“当哮喘症状开始时，你不知道下一次呼出的空气是什么时候。感觉就像你快要淹死了，”塞布继续说。

"I don't think until you've walked in the shoes of someone with respiratory issues (that) you really understand how scary that can be."

“我认为，除非你站在有呼吸问题的人的立场上，你才真正明白这有多可怕。”

50th anniversary of Clean Air Act

《清洁空气法》颁布50周年

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which charged the US Environmental Protection Agency with regulating all sources of air emissions. The goal was to reduce air pollution and acid rain, increase air quality and visibility, slow climate change and protect the ozone layer.

今年是《清洁空气法》通过50周年，该法案责成美国环境保护署监管所有空气排放源。目标是减少空气污染和酸雨，提高空气质量和能见度，减缓气候变化，保护臭氧层。

According to the EPA, the act is responsible for a 50% decline in emissions of key air pollutants since 1990. the year when a new series of amendments were passed.

根据美国环境保护署(EPA)的说法，自1990年通过一系列新修正案以来，《清洁空气法》的颁布使主要空气污染物的排放量下降了50%。

It's that lack of enforcement -- along with worsening climate change -- which has lead to the recent reversal of air quality gains, the report said.

报告说，正是由于缺乏执法，加上气候变化不断恶化，导致最近空气质量改善的成果出现逆转。

"If there's no environmental cop on the beat, we know that polluters will skirt the rules of the law, will cheat and will increase emissions," Billings said. "And pollution will increase. It has increased."

比林斯说:“如果没有环境警察，我们就知道污染者会逃避法律规定，会作弊，会增加排放。”“污染会增加。已经增加了。”

Environmental advocacy groups were equally critical

环境保护团体也同样持批评态度

"Around the world, toxic air kills 5 million people every year and, as this report makes clear, the US has a long way to go to better protect communities." said Sarah Vogel, vice president for health at the Environmental Defense Fund.

美国环境保护基金会负责健康事务的副总裁萨拉•沃格尔表示:“全球每年有500万人死于有毒空气，正如这份报告明确指出的那样，美国在更好地保护社区方面还有很长的路要走。”

"At a time when our lung health is more endangered than ever before, our leaders should be taking firm measures to clean up our air." said Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air.

“在我们的肺部健康比以往任何时候都受到威胁的时候，我们的领导人应该采取坚定的措施来净化我们的空气。”清洁空气联盟政策主任比尔·马加弗恩说。

Increases in types of pollution

污染种类增加

The 21st annual "State of the Air" report analyzed data from 2016. 2017 and 2018 -- three of the five hottest years in recorded history in the world, the report said.

第21届年度“空气状况”报告分析了2016年、2017年和2018年的数据，报告称，这是世界上有记录以来最热的5年中的3年。

Those warmer temperatures contributed to the rise of ozone levels in many places in the US, the report found, affecting more than 137 million people. Breathing in ozone, or smog, can cause asthma attacks, shortness of breath, and trigger coughing, the report said.

报告发现，这些变暖的温度导致美国许多地方的臭氧水平上升，影响了超过1.37亿人。报告说，吸入臭氧或烟雾会导致哮喘、呼吸短促和咳嗽。

The heat from increasing climate change also contributed to wildfires, especially in western states, which spiked particulate pollution levels to dangerous levels, the report said.

报告说，日益加剧的气候变化带来的热量也助长了野火，尤其是在西部各州，使颗粒物污染水平飙升至危险水平。

Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid matter found in the air. Dust, dirt and smoke particles are larger but there are also extremely small, inhalable particulates that can't be seen with the naked eye. Those are called PM 2.5 because their size is generally 2.5 micrometers or less.

微粒物质是在空气中发现的固体和液体物质的混合物。灰尘、尘埃和烟雾颗粒较大，但也有极小的可吸入颗粒物，肉眼无法看到。这些被称为PM2.5.因为它们的大小通常是2.5微米或更小。