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What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a national uniform system to report pollution levels for the criteria air pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act. The AQI provides citizens with information about the general health effects associated with different pollution levels. A brochure, "Air Quality Index, A Guide to Air Quality and Your Health" is available as a pdf file. Other versions are available at the EPA's AirNow web site.
In Spokane, three pollutants are routinely monitored: carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and ozone. The AQI converts the measured pollutant concentration in a community’s air to a number on a scale of 0 to 500. The data is updated hourly and reported here.
The intervals and terms describing the AQI are as follows:
- From 0 to 50..........Good/Green
- From 51 to 100......Moderate/Yellow
- From 101 to 150....Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups/Orange
- From 151 to 200....Unhealthy/Red
- From 201 to 300....Very Unhealthy
- Above 300.............Hazardous
| AQI for Spokane, days in each category |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
| Good/Green |
324 |
309 |
300 |
295 |
291 |
| Moderate/Yellow |
39 |
56 |
65 |
70 |
73 |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups/Orange |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Unhealthy/Red |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Email Notifications of Daily Air Quality
Throughout the year, the Spokane Clean Air monitors daily air quality and reports pollution levels via its website and its 24-hr Air Quality Info Line: 477-2571. In early 2007, we added an Email Notification System. You can get emails at home of daily air quality, wood burning bans, etc. You select which list you want to subscribe to, for free! Click here.
Breathe Easy Network.
In addition, the American Lung Association of Washington operates an email notification system for subscribers, called the Breathe Easy Network. The Network is a tool to give residents of the Northwest fast, accurate notification when air quality has deteriorated and may affect health-sensitive people. For more information about the Network, or to sign up, click on the Breathe Easy Network link or call the local office of the ALAW at 325-6516.
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