Air Quality Index (AQI)

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Air Quality Index (AQI)

• Susan Lyon Stone
• stone.susan_at_epa.gov

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Overview

• About the AQI
• EPA outreach
• Major media outreach
• Future directions

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EPAs AQI

• Clean Air Act develop nationally uniform index
  and regulate reporting
• Unhealthy for ozone means same in Lima, OH as
  Los Angeles, CA
• Includes pollutants with national ambient air
  quality standards
• O3, PM, CO, SO2, NO2
• Based on health effects information from review
  of standards

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State/local Agencys AQI

• Monitor ambient air
• Report AQI
• Usefulness of AQI linked to implementation
• Continuous monitoring (e.g., PM2.5)
• Forecasting and real-time data reporting
• Participating in AIRNOW

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1999 - AQI Revised

• To represent health information from review of
  standards
• Non-threshold nature of effects
• Sub-indices for PM2.5 and O3 (8-hr average)
• For use in contemporary media
• Real-time data reporting
• User-friendly format (e.g., colors, language)

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AQI Pollutant-Specific

• Pollutant-specific statements
• Health effects statements
• Cautionary statements
• Sensitive group statements

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AQI Easy to Understand

• Format intuitively clear
• Category descriptors
• Colors
• Statements
• Focus group testing
• General public 5 cities
• Target audiences 3 cities

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AQI Focus Groups
Parents asthmatic children
Journalists
Elderly chronic lung disease
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Descriptor Index Value Risk Message
Good 0 - 50 No message
Moderate 51 - 100 Unusually sensitive individuals (ozone)
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 - 150 Identifiable groups at risk different groups for different pollutants
Unhealthy 151 - 200 General public at risk groups at greater risk
Very Unhealthy 201 - 300 General public at greater risk groups at greatest risk
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Ozone Levels
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http//www.epa.gov/airnow
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Air Quality Forecast
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Air Quality Guide - Ozone
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Ozone and Your Health
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Smog - Who Does It Hurt?
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Health Care Providers

• Ozone and Your Patients Health video
• CME credit UNC School of Medicine
• http//med.unc.edu/cme
• Air pollution health effects poster
• Focus on O3, PM and AQI
• Ready Fall 2001

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The Weather Channel
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USA Today
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Future Directions

• PM air pollution
• Public information documents
• Real-time data - AIRNOW
• Health care providers Web-based instructional
  unit
• Communicate appropriately in fire situations
• Evaluate research

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Boston March 8, 2001 730 AM
Boston March 8, 2001 1130 AM