365 Days of Clean Air

Mecklenburg County is breathing better than ever. 2025 marked the first year on record that air pollution stayed within healthy limits every day.

For a decade, Mecklenburg County has met health-based air quality standards but still averaged five unhealthy air quality days each year. Unhealthy air quality days are caused by high levels of two major pollutants – ground level ozone and particle pollution.

Thanks to favorable weather conditions and ongoing pollution reduction efforts, as well as limited impacts from wildfires, prescribed burns and fireworks, there were no unhealthy air quality days last year.

“It’s important to celebrate this milestone for the health of our community,” said District 1 Commissioner Elaine Powell, chair of the Board’s’ Environmental Stewardship Committee. “Clean air is vital and something we should never take for granted. We are proud to continue to invest in a team of dedicated experts who take a proactive approach to public engagement, pollution reduction programs, and data monitoring.”

Mecklenburg County is one of only three counties in the state to have a dedicated air quality agency. The Air Quality team works to maintain healthy air quality through data, compliance with air pollution rules, implementing local programs to reduce pollution, and community engagement.

“Mecklenburg County Air Quality is a local team of scientists, engineers and communications professionals who are out in the community measuring air pollution, improving air quality, and listening and responding to residents,” said Mecklenburg County Air Quality Director Leslie Rhodes. “We are proud of their work, which has culminated in a decade of meeting health-based air quality standards and a full year without a Code Orange or higher air quality day.”

In 2026, Air Quality will work to continue the trend of healthy air quality by making quality-assured data available to the public and decision makers and implementing local programs that limit air pollution.