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Washington StateThe Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Washington

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A Partnership Network for Environmental Health
Established and Coordinated by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health
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Outdoor Air

There are two main types of pollutants in outdoor air:

  • Common, or criteria, air pollutants: These include all the air pollutants that have ‘national ambient air quality standards' established under the federal Clean Air Act. There are six common or criteria air pollutants: ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lead. The Environmental Protection Agency calculates an Air Quality Index based on levels of ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide (see below).
  • Toxic, or hazardous, air pollutants: These include other air pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effects. Toxic air pollutants include volatile organics and solvents, such as benzene, heavy metals other than lead, pesticides, industrial and commercial chemicals, and by-products of combustion processes, such as dioxins and PAHs (poly aromatic hydrocarbons).

Summary of Information on Washington State

From National Organizations:

Common Air Pollutants:

The Environmental Protection Agency provides an Air Quality Index forecast for the entire country, including Washington State.

The Environmental Protection Agency's Air Trends web page provides information on levels and trends of the six common air pollutants in US counties and cities, including those in Washington State.

The Environmental Protection Agency also publishes "Air Trends Reports" that summarize information on trends in levels of common air pollutants across the country, including Washington State.

Toxic Air Pollutants:

The Environmental Protection Agency's 1999 National Air Toxics Assessment provides information on levels of air toxics in the US, including Washington State. The assessment includes four steps that look at the year 1996:

Information is available on emissions, modeled ambient concentrations, modeled human exposure, and estimated risks including cancer and noncancer health effects. A summary of the information on Puget Sound has been prepared by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

From Regional Organizations:

Air Watch Northwest is a portal to Northwest air quality agencies, which provide air quality data for the areas they serve. Some also offer two-day air quality forecasts to predict when pollution levels are expected to rise. In Washington, four regional agencies have information here for several counties.

From State Organizations:

Common Air Pollutants:

The Washington State Department of Ecology's Air Quality Program has information on ambient air quality in the State, including information organized by pollutant, by County, and trends over time.

The Department of Ecology also publishes an "Air Quality Trends Report". The most recent one is for 2000-2002 and it focuses on trends in levels of the common air pollutants in Washington State.

Toxic Air Pollutants:

The Department of Ecology has information on toxic air pollutants. There are six monitoring sites in the State, all in western Washington. Information on levels at these sites is also available.

From Local Organizations:

Common Air Pollutants:

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's website on "Air Quality" has information on real-time air quality data and air quality reports for common air pollutants. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has also published a "2005 Air Quality Data Summary", which contains information on common air pollutants.

Toxic Air Pollutants:

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has a publication called "Next Ten Years Factsheet: Working Together for Clean Air". It also has an air toxics website, a report on "Puget Sound Air Toxics Evaluation (2003)" and the "2005 Air Quality Data Summary", which contains information on toxic air pollutants.

Public Health Seattle and King County have conducted a series of studies called "Cancer Cluster Investigation: SeaTac International Airport".

From Academic Institutions:

One study looked at "Wind Erosion and Fugitive Dust Fluxes on Agricultural Lands in the Pacific Northwest".

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Information on Washington State in Context

Outdoor air quality in Washington State is relatively good, compared with other states and nationally, as there are relatively few "nonattainment areas" for the common or criteria air pollutants. Depending on the specific contaminant, levels of toxic air pollutants in western Washington are generally comparable with levels in other states. Levels in eastern Washington tend to be lower.

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Quality of Information on Washington State

The quality of information on outdoor air quality in Washington State is very good. Information on the six 'criteria pollutants' is excellent, although there has been a decrease in the number of monitoring stations in recent years. Information is collected and disseminated by several national, State and local agencies. There is less information available on ambient levels of toxic air pollutants and pesticides in Washington State.

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General Information Sources

Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov

Air Watch Northwest: www.airwatchnorthwest.org/

Washington State Department of Ecology: www.ecy.wa.gov

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency: www.pscleanair.org/airq/

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