Cleveland Urged to Update Outdated Air Quality Codes

Failure to revise standards could worsen health disparities, say advocates

Feb. 5, 2026 at 9:07pm

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A letter to the editor argues that Cleveland must update its air quality codes, which have not been revised since 1977. The current standards are negatively impacting the health of the city's African American residents, who face higher rates of asthma-related deaths and other pollution-linked illnesses due to historical environmental injustices like redlining.

Why it matters

Updating Cleveland's air quality codes is a public health imperative, as the city currently ranks as the 9th most polluted metro area in the U.S. Tighter regulations are needed to address longstanding environmental health disparities faced by African American communities that were historically redlined and exposed to higher levels of harmful air pollution.

The details

Cleveland's air quality code has not been revised since 1977. In the American Lung Association's 2025 'State of the Air' report, the Cleveland metro area ranked as the ninth most-polluted in the United States, dropping from 54th worst in 2024. African American children in Ohio are more likely to die from the impact of asthma than their white counterparts. Exposure to pollutants is linked to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke, lung cancer, and adverse birth outcomes in these communities.

  • Cleveland's air quality code has not been revised since 1977.
  • In the 2025 'State of the Air' report, Cleveland ranked as the 9th most polluted metro area, down from 54th worst in 2024.

The players

Yvonka M. Hall

CEO of the Northeast Ohio Community Resilience Centre and author of the letter to the editor.

Cleveland City Council

The governing body responsible for revising the city's air quality codes.

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What they’re saying

“Revising Cleveland's air quality code is critical for city residents. Let's be clear: The current air quality code has not been revised since 1977 when I was 10 years old. It is time for Cleveland City Council to protect the citizens. This is a public health crisis.”

— Yvonka M. Hall, CEO, Northeast Ohio Community Resilience Centre (cleveland.com)

What’s next

Cleveland City Council will need to take action to revise the city's outdated air quality codes in order to protect the health of its residents, especially African American communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for Cleveland to update its air quality standards, which have remained unchanged for nearly 50 years. Doing so is critical to addressing longstanding environmental health disparities and improving outcomes for the city's most vulnerable residents.