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Air Quality

AIR QUALITY

WHAT IS THE MEASURE?

Number of days air quality is considered unhealthy for children and older adults in San Diego County, based on EPA’s standards and air quality index.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

  • The EPA establishes air quality standards to protect public health. Ground level ozone (smog) and particulate matter are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in the U.S.
  • Ozone can trigger or exacerbate asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in children, the elderly and other vulnerable populations.
  • Health professionals are especially concerned about the effects of ozone and particulate matter on children, because children are growing rapidly and exercise more outdoors, so they take in more pollutants per pound of body weight than adults do.
  • If climate models are accurate, we will see an increase of hot sunny days in our region, with an increase in ozone pollution, and corresponding health problems.

HOW ARE WE DOING? Unhealthy Air Quality Days

Air quality has improved significantly over the past two decades in California, and San Diego County is among the most improved regions.  By EPA standards, there were 40 days in 2008 when air quality was dangerous to our most vulnerable residents, which is a slight increase from 2007.  San Diego has some troubling issues, especially in the south/central parts of the county and in vulnerable populations.  The American Lung Association gave San Diego County a grade of F for ozone air quality in its most recent State of the Air report released in 2009.    

It should also be noted that the State of California has stricter standards for ozone and particulate matter and San Diego County exceeds those standards more frequently than EPA standards. 

LINKS TO ACTION

Here are 10 actions from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District you can take to help fight air pollution.

http://www.sdapcd.org/info/facts/Ten_Ways_English.pdf

 Transportation, household, and garden tips to keep the air cleaner. You will also find links to more extensive resources.

http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=resources.whatyoucando

 Basic information on air quality in the San Diego area including its sources, its effects, and how to help keep San Diego air clean.

http://www.sdapcd.org/info/FAQS/faqs.html

 Policy

Here are air quality rankings for 50 cities throughout the United States. Practical steps that cities and individuals can take to create cleaner air are also listed.

http://www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings/categories/air-quality

 2009 State of the Air report giving extensive information on air pollution and its effects on health. Proposed policy initiatives for clean air can be found on pages 8 and 9.

 www.lungusa2.org/sota/2009/SOTA-2009-Full-Print.pdf