What You Need To Know
- Air quality is monitored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
- The Air Quality Index is used to give easy to understand air quality information to the public. If necessary, Air quality alerts will be issued for an area
- Ozone is one of several major air pollutants
- Unhealthy air quality often happens during calm, stagnant, fair weather days
Air Quality Monitoring and Indexing
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring the air quality, and it uses an Air Quality Index (AQI) to keep the public informed. The index is color coded based on the level of health concern, and there are six levels.
Courtesy of EPA
The Air Quality Index
Once a Code Orange is reached, Air Quality Alerts are issued since the index value is now over 100, which means unhealthy air quality for those in sensitive groups (e.g. elderly, young children, those with respiratory problems, etc.).
The higher the index value (which can get over 300), the more unhealthy the air is for everyone and outside time should be limited.
Ozone and Other Major Pollutants
Ozone is one of the main pollutants that could lead to unhealthy air quality if the levels are too high. This most often happens on calm, stagnant, fair weather days in urban industrialized areas. This is not the “good” ozone that forms naturally in the upper atmosphere and blocks us from the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is the “bad” ground-level ozone that’s basically a created chemical byproduct from man-made pollutants.
Courtesy of EPA
Others to Watch Out for
Other major pollutants that an Air Quality Alert could be issued for are:
- Particle pollution (particulate matter)
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Sulfur dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
When under an Air Quality Alert, you can help by minimizing your use of anything that helps pollute the air. For example, drive less, don’t use gas powered equipment, and don’t burn garbage or any other items.
Conclusion
Air quality can greatly impact our health and well-being, especially those with respiratory issues. Being aware of the Air Quality Index and taking steps to minimize pollution can help improve the air we breathe and reduce the risk of harm.
FAQs
Q: What is the Air Quality Index?
A: The Air Quality Index is a measurement of the level of pollution in the air, giving easy-to-understand information to the public.
Q: What are the possible levels of the Air Quality Index?
A: The AQI has six levels: Good, Moderate, Slightly Unhealthy, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, and Hazardous.
Q: What happens if an Air Quality Alert is issued?
A: If the AQI reaches a code orange (over 100), an Air Quality Alert is issued, indicating that the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Above 300, the air is unhealthy for everyone.
Q: How can I help improve air quality during an Air Quality Alert?
A: By minimizing the use of gas-powered equipment and vehicles, and avoiding open burning or other activities that contribute to pollution.
