Air Quality 101

Clean Air PartnersNew Member Orientation

August 29, 2006

The Products:Forecast and AQAG

People Most at Risk from Air Pollution

• Children

• Elderly

• Adults who are active outdoors• People with respiratory and

heart ailments

In the Baltimore/Washington region, more than 320,000 adults and 100,000 children have asthma.

• What we typically call smog is made up of ground level ozone.

• VOCs + NOx + Sunlight = Ozone

Ground Level Ozone

Fine Particulate Matter

• Particles are very small objects found in the air, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. 

• Our respiratory system filters out larger particles.

• Smaller particles get trapped in the lungs, while the smallest are so tiny they pass through the lungs into the blood stream.

Sources of Particles

• Primary Particles

– power plants, factories, automobile exhaust, construction sites, unpaved roads, wood burning, agriculture sites

• Secondary Particles

– gases from burning fuels react with sunlight and water vapor and are chemically transformed into particles

Good News – Emission Levels

• The Baltimore/Washington region has implemented an aggressive set of air pollution control regulations

– Power plants to hair spray and perfume

– Over 100 different regulations since 1990

• Emissions have been cut by about 40% since 1990

– National average is about 20% http://www.lippmannforcongress.us/air%20pollution.jpg

Air Quality Monitoring Network

Good News – Ozone levels are lower than they have ever beenNumber of 8-Hour Ozone Exceedance Days

Baltimore Metropolitan Region and Washington, DC Metropolitan Region1993 - 2006

46

40

36

2830

51

40

16

26

37

10 10

24

16

47

20

29

18

29

49

39

10

24

38

78

19 19

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Nu

mb

er o

d E

xcee

dan

ce D

ays

Baltimore Metro Region Washington, DC Metro Region

Nationally recognized for mapping and color-coded messaging system

1993 - Forecasting methodology tested 1994 - “Ozone Map” piloted color-coded forecasting for Baltimore

through partnership with MDE - ALA 1995 - Ozone Map airs, color-coded forecasting spreads to DC, Clean

Air Partners formed 1996 - Ozone Action Days Program started 1997 - Ozone Map gains national recognition; EPA begins national

ozone mapping effort 1998 - EPA adopts Maryland color coded messaging as part of the

federal Air Quality Index (AQI) 2003 - Real time data effort initiated – web and email based

air-watch.net 2004 - Fine particulate added to outreach efforts; OAD now AQAD

• About 600 organizations and individuals as partners

• A Baltimore and Washington DC regional initiative

• Encourages voluntary actions to help reduce air pollution

• Also used to inform employees and clients of health issues and air quality forecasts

Adding Actions to the Process

Individual Actions

• Limit driving and refuel cars after dark

• Share a ride, telework from home, or use transit

• Consolidate trips and errands

• Avoid using gas-powered lawn equipment

• Put off any painting until later

• Avoid using aerosol products

Media Coverage