Environmental Quality

The environment directly affects health status and plays a major role in quality of life, years of healthy life lived, and health disparities. Poor air quality is linked to premature death, cancer, and long-term damage to respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Secondhand smoke containing toxic and cancer-causing chemicals contributes to heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. Globally, nearly 25% of all deaths and the total disease burden can be attributed to environmental factors.¹

Poor environmental quality has its greatest impact on people whose health status is already at risk. In 2016, 1 in 12 children and 1 in 12 adults in the United States had asthma, which is caused, triggered, and exacerbated by environmental factors such as air pollution and secondhand smoke. Yet:

• In 2016, approximately 122.5 million people in the United States lived in counties that exceeded 1 or more national ambient air quality standards.²
• During 2011-2012, about 58 million nonsmokers in the U.S. were exposed to secondhand smoke.³

Safe air, land, and water are fundamental to a healthy community environment. An environment free of hazards, such as secondhand smoke, carbon monoxide, allergens, lead, and toxic chemicals, helps prevent disease and other health problems. Implementing and enforcing environmental standards and regulations, monitoring pollution levels and human exposures, building environments that support healthy lifestyles, and considering the risks of pollution in decision-making can improve health and quality of life for all Americans.