Air and water quality earn Philadelphia “most toxic” title

Philadelphia, we don’t know how to break this to you, but . . . you’re toxic. Forbes told us. Don’t shoot the messenger.

 

Let’s get one thing straight: being named the most toxic city in America is not entirely our fault. The data are based on our Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes parts of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.

So thanks to our own actions and those of neighboring states, Forbes says we’re 2011’s Most Toxic City.

The finding is based on five things (political corruption not among them): air quality, water quality and Superfund sites — areas not in use but that contain hazardous waste — which are drawn from Sperling’s Best Places; and EPA stats that show the number of days in 2009 when the Air Quality Index exceeded 100 and the agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (amount of dangerous chemicals released, recyled or treated).

So, if you’re keeping track, we’ll lure you here with good food and beer, make you fat and then expose you to toxins. But that bell sure is big.