New Yakima Valley air monitor measures particulate pollution

From EPA:

New Yakima Valley air monitor measures particulate pollution

Community concerns about air pollution levels led to installation of air monitor in Sunnyside 

Contact: Mark Edler, Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency, 509-834-2050 x110, mark@yrcaa.org; Camille St. Onge, Washington Department of Ecology, 360-407-6932, cast461@ecy.wa.gov; Jeff Philip, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,206-553-1465, philip.jeff@epa.gov

(Seattle, Washington)—Oct. 2, 2014 The Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency will begin operating a new air quality monitor to measure fine particulate matter in the Sunnyside region of the Yakima Valley. The monitor, which will gather data on particulate matter for a year, will allow regulatory agencies to develop effective strategies to protect air quality in the Yakima Valley and inform burn ban decisions. The monitor is located at Harrison Middle School.

The Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are supporting YRCAA in the air quality monitoring effort. 

Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution, is a mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particulate matter is made up of a number of components including acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil and dust. The agencies are concerned about particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller because those particles can pass through the throat and nose into the lungs. 

Once inhaled, these particles can contribute to a variety of health risks, including premature death in people with heart or lung disease, increased risk for heart attacks, and aggravated asthma and increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing. People with heart or lung diseases, children and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure. 

Data from this monitor will support ongoing efforts to track air pollution levels throughout the Yakima Valley with existing monitors in Toppenish, Yakima and White Swan. While the Yakima Valley currently meets all federal health-based air quality standards, there are ongoing concerns about elevated levels of air pollution. The new monitor will track air pollution and provide air quality levels for this particular region of the valley. 

The data will not provide direct information about the sources of the fine particulate matter, though it may be possible to infer the source based on other information such as climate, meteorology, time of year and known emission generating activities happening in the area. 

The public will be able to access data from the monitor through the YRCAA website. 

For more information on the monitoring effort visit: YRCAA website: http://www.yakimacleanair.org/

For more information on the health effects of particulate matter visit: http://www.epa.gov/pm/health.html