Worried about air quality?

Posted 9/2/22

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection website provides data from air quality monitors throughout the state.

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Worried about air quality?

Posted
Interested in air quality? The Florida Department of Environmental Protection website provides data from air quality monitors throughout the state.
 
The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality, and it is calculated based on monitored concentrations of ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The highest AQI for the pollutants measured at each site over the past 24 hours is displayed. 
 
The AQI scale runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. An AQI of 100 or less is indicative of pollutant concentrations that are considered satisfactory. This is the level the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set to protect public health. An AQI of 50 or less is indicative of pollutant concentrations that are considered good. 
 
According to FDEP:
 
• When AQI is in the “good” range (under 50), no health impacts are expected. 
 
• When AQI is in the moderate range of 51-100, unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
 
• When AQI is in the 101 to 150 range, children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.  
 
• AQI of 151 to 200 is considered very unhealthy. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion: everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion. 
 
• AQI above 200 is considered extremely unhealthy. People with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should avoid all physical activity outdoors. Everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. 
 
In 2021, the average AQI for the United States was 43. The average AQI for the State of Florida was 38.9. The  USA city with the cleanest air was Neah Bay Washington with an average AQI of 13. Weaverville, California had the worst AQI, with an average of 98.   
 
In Florida, most of the AQI monitors are in the more populated, urban areas. Of the towns around Lake Okeechobee, Belle Glade is the only one with an Air Quality Index monitor. This monitor was installed due to questions about smoke from sugar cane burning.
 
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Air Monitoring website is online at https://floridadep.gov/air/air-monitoring/content/air-quality-today
 
On Sept. 1, while all monitors for Florida had an Air Quality Index (AQI) in “good range” of 0-50, Belle Glade had the best air quality rating at 19 while Winter Park had the worst air quality in the state at 39. 
 
On Sept. 2, all Florida monitors ranged from an Aqi of 5 in Pinellas Park to 41 in Winter Park.   Belle Glade's AQI was 19.
 
On  Sept. 3, Florida monitors ranged from an AQI of 20 in Bradenton to 44 in Pensacola. Belle Glade's AQI was 25.

On Sept. 4, Florida monitors ranged from an AQI of 5 in Pinellas Park to 34 in St. Clearwater. Belle Glades' AQI was 22.

On Sept. 5, Florida monitors ranged from an AQI of 15 in Bee Ridge  to  35 in Naples, Belle Glades' AQI was 21.

On Sept. 6, Florida monitors ranged from an AQI of  12 at Crescent City to 44 in   Panama City. Belle Glades' AQI was  23.

AQI, smoke, air quality, Belle Glade

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