Aerial view of Salt Lake City, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (Ravell Call, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — More people, more cars, more energy development — but the air quality is getting better, not worse.
The Environmental Protection Agency says in its annual report that there have been double-digit decreases in concentrations of hazardous pollutants.
Between 1970 and 2016, the combined emissions from six common pollutants dropped by 73 percent. And since 1990, carbon monoxide levels have dropped by 77 percent, nitrogen dioxides went down 56 percent, and ozone levels down 22 percent.
The report includes the Salt Lake metro area. In 2002, there were 65 days of unhealthy air. In 2016, that number was down to 28 days.
The EPA says technology is making cleaner ways for industry to operate and for people to live their lives.