Air Quality and Health
{Haze over Hartford}
Local air quality affects how we live and breathe. Like the weather, it can change from day to day or even hour to hour. A key tool in understanding the health effects associated with outdoor air quality is the Air Quality Index, or AQI. Think of the AQI as a yardstick that 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 value of 100 generally corresponds to the national air quality standard for the pollutant, which is the level EPA has set to protect public health. AQI values below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy.
The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. The AQI is calculated for five major pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The CT DEP issues the AQI daily, to provide the citizens of Connecticut simple information on local air quality. More information on the AQI and Health Effects can be found on these following websites:
Connecticut Daily Air Quality Index
Air Quality Index Health Effects
Pollutant-Specific Cautionary Statements for the Air Quality Index
Air Quality Index – A Guide to Air Quality and your Health (EPA Airnow, PDF)
Cardiac and Respiratory Health Effects Information for Health Care Providers (EPA Airnow)
Indoor Air Quality - Link to Department of Public Health
Content last updated November 18, 2009
