Top 10 Most Polluted Cities In The United States

In other words, these aren't very ideal places to visit, yet alone live.

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#10- Birmingham, AL

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To kick-off our countdown of arguably the most unhealthiest and dangerous cities in America, have you ever heard of a weather man calling for "pollution fog"? Well, in Birmingham, this is quite the normal occurrence. That fog also succeeds in leaving the Birmingham residents' cars covered in soot and debris, which they have to clean off every once in a while. In fact, the quality is so poor in this area, that it is not uncommon to notice a pedestrian strolling by with a breathing mask on; yes, just like in China. Acid rain also is an unpleasant occurrence here, leaving damage to buildings and automobiles.

So, where is all this pollution coming from? Unfortunately, a common trend you will find while reading this article is the lack of regulation and emission checks on businesses in these cities. What's more important is the pockets of big businesses, the environment and peoples' heath is a secondary concern. In fact, Birmingham electrical plants and other emission producing businesses no longer are required to report or measure mercury emissions. For those who don't know, mercury is extremely harmful and even possibly lethal if inhaled in large amounts. Children are more susceptible to it effects. Children exposed to high amounts of mercury can suffer nervous system and brain damage.

Do you think Birmingham sounds bad? Hold on, it gets worse.

#9- Cincinnati, OH

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Cincinnati: home, sweet home to more than 2.2 million residents. And with all those residents, it's also home to three major interstate routes. The most prominent cause of emissions globally is vehicle exhaust, and one can only imagine how many metric tons, that's right tons, of chemicals, particulates, and green house gases are emitted from automobiles alone in this area. But that's not all, a massive coal-fired power plant in downtown Cincinnati has absolutely no regard for preventing pollution over the metro area. The local government has "attempted" to control the amounts of all these emissions given off from their city alone, but hasn't made any significant impacts. Yearly, there are 164,000 cardiovascular cases on average in the city.

In 2011, Cincinnati was awarded the 13th dirtiest city in North America, and over the past five years, its been working its way through the ranks, and has made it into this top ten countdown. Congrats, Cincinnati.

#8- Visalia, CA

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You will also notice another common trend throughout this article; this certainly will not be the last you read about California. Visalia, located against the Sierra foothills, is not often visited by rain or wind to help rid of this unfortunate city's particle pollution and tropospheric ozone. Being situated between the mountains, also is a major downfall to the environmental success to this city. The mountains act as a geological barrier, forcing the particulates of dust and chemicals to remain near ground-level, and swarm the city. Also being situated in a region prone to major droughts, forest fires are particularly common in the area. In 2008 alone, more than 300 forest fires raged the outskirts of Visalia, only adding to the already massive amount of toxic particulates in the air.

Roughly 87,000 of Visalia's residents are diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases yearly. However, the city has been really cleaning up their act over the past few years, quite literally. A few years ago, Visalia was ranked #2 in the top ozone polluted cities in North America, although, recently it has been weakening its competition to be the most polluted city known in America. Maybe the city is turning over a new leaf.

#7- Modesto, CA

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Did I not warn you? California just can't get enough of its fame and glory in the world of pollution. Modesto, an industrial-agricultural based community extremely dependent upon automobiles to carry out their "dirty" business duties, pun intended. California's popular and well-known route, Route 99 is often ruled by agricultural truck haulers that emit tons and tons of exhaust over the city, suffocating its residents. More than 10% of its residents are diagnosed with asthma, and each year this number only continues to rise.

Modesto has also been awarded a rank 34 out of 100 based on water quality, if they're fortunate enough to provide enough for its citizens. During the months of July, August, and September, it is rare to even see a drop of rain in this region. Droughts are more than common, provoking frequent forest fires. The toxic, airborne elements being emitted from these common fires continue to choke the city.

#6- Pittsburgh, PA

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It all began 1762, when a coal seam was discovered Monongahela River. From then on the city given the nickname "Smoky City" as well as "Hell With the Lid Off", and has lived up to it. Coal mines and coal fired plants were extremely prominent in this area, although there aren't nearly as many in the city as before, there is still enough in place to impact the city of Pittsburgh's residents.

However, due to increased legislation and city governmental intervention in businesses, the city's amount of particle pollution has been noticed to have decreased drastically in recent years. Unfortunately, ozone is still on the rise. More and more people are falling victim to asthma, cardiovascular disease, and even lung cancer.

#5- Hanford-Corcoran, CA

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Located in the San Joaquin Valley, notorious for its numerous polluted Californian cities, the San Joaquin Valley is known for being the dirtiest place in America. The root cause of the Hanford-Corcoran area's extreme pollution is from the usual: industry, traffic congestion, and lack of regulations. The thermal inversions in this area due to the valley acting as a geological barrier to prevent the escape and dispersion of these pollutants only worsens the quality. Droughts in the San Joaquin Valley only add on to all the dust particles suffocating the city. In fact, the American Lung Association awarded Hanford second place for the most ozone pollution in the United States, and declared the those who live in Hanford, are quite possibly breathing the worst air in the United States.

#4- Salt Lake City, UT

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Poor Salt Lake City is a victim of Winter Inversions. Winter Inversions are the exact same as normal inversions, the same kind that occur in California. However, these inversions are seasonal, and considerably much worse than the ones in California. These Wintertime inversions are prolonged as well, lasting from December to February. On typical winter days in Salt Lake, the air quality exceeds on failing national air quality standards.They can lead to an increase in fine particle air pollution, meaning the particulates are smaller than 2.5 PM, and they can enter the blood stream when inhaled. These particles can aggravate lung functions and cause respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing, or loss of breath, and in serious cases, can lead to heart failure or death. Residents of Salt Lake City are often urged to stay indoors for exercise, it not very ideal to raise your heart rate and breathing ratio outdoors in one of the most polluted cities in the nation.

#3- Fresno, CA

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Looks like the sunshine state is winning the race to achieve absolute environmental destruction. Although Fresno does not have the worst air quality in Cali, it is definitely up there, because when the air quality gets bad, its BAD. Nearly one quarter of Fresno's population of 509,900 have cardiovascular disease, and this is no coincidence.

The California Environmental Protection Agency claims the increase in agriculture, topography, poverty, and the contamination of the city's remaining water supply has thwarted any efforts to save this city from further downfall. It's a place where agriculture meets industry, infested by freeways, meat-rendering plants, and dumps. The debris and wastes from all the agriculture and unregulated industrial factories and plants meet the water, the air, and ultimately the bodily systems of its residents.

#2- Los Angeles, CA

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Surprised L.A. isn't number one? L.A. has actually experienced its lowest accumulation of pollution in the past few years out of all of its 100 years of existence. However, all the legislations and regulations this city has been put under hasn't yet saved the city from being featured as number two in this top ten countdown, as well as others.

Famous for its "L.A. Smog", a dense air mixture including the ingredients: carbon dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrous oxides, and even lead. The contributors to this concoction include the emissions from 12 million vehicles, industrial plants, an ever-growing population, and the only recent call-to-action against the environmentally destructive businesses and plants in the area. In the past, L.A. had it far worse, and was even recognized as the most polluted city in the country. Child and adult mortality rates were increasing as the air pollution did the same. Droughts and the ring of mountains surrounding the city added additional obstacles for the escape of the numerous air pollutants coming from such an industrial and over-populated city.

Since the 1990s, the California Environmental Protection Agency has claimed to see an improvement in the city's efforts and results as to its pollution levels and the health to its citizens. Ozone, lead, and sulfur rates have decreased in accumulation throughout the region. However, it seems as though these harmful pollutants haven't completely disappeared, instead they've made themselves at home somewhere else.

#1- Bakersfield, CA

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Here we are at number one, the notorious city of Bakersfield, California. The most polluted city in the United States is a smaller agricultural-based city situated in the San Joaquin Valley- the most polluted valley in North America.

Bakersfield exhibits almost, if not all of the causes to environmental turmoil and poor air quality included in the descriptions of these past polluted cities. First and foremost, Bakersfield is an industrial-agricultural based city. The land is scarred by acres of tilled farmland, and well as huge industrial plants fired by coal and God knows what else. Toxic particulates of all different sizes and classifications are emitted from these practices 24/7. Unregulated plants and factories even illegally dump toxic wastes into random unpopulated areas, including nearby streams and ponds. Frequent droughts only add additional particle pollution through dust storms and nearby forest fires. Vehicle exhaust contributes to the production of ozone, sulfur dioxides, nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants into the city's smog which is similar if not worse than L.A.'s. Inversions and the surrounding mountains act like a lid, capping America's worst air over the city to be breathed by its residents.

The city's residents are breathing the Nation's worst air, so one can only imagine as to the health status of its citizens. More than half of the small population of the city experience respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as short term system defects and long term defects. The city even has its own website displaying as to the current quality of its air and exactly how hazardous it is currently. On days when its really bad, school cancelations often occur, and sometimes, all residents are urged to stay indoors.

Although after reading this you may by sulking in your chair, thinking to yourself "shame of America", you may be surprised to learn that compared to the cities known for the worst air in the entire world, the United States seems like the cleanest place on Earth. Bakersfield and L.A. don't compare much to New Delhi and Lucknow, India, where heaps of discarded solid waste ravage the streets and the average population exceeds ten times of the population in the District of Colombia. The United States and Europe are actually home to some of the most cleanest cities in the world. Although America may have some of its blemishes like Bakersfield, with time and determination, we could possibly become the cleanest nation in the world.