North Shore AIR

Particulate Matter (PM-10); (dust, smoke, soot)

In addition to receiving a failing grade (F) for air quality based on ozone, the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2005 Report also showed that rates were below average (D) for air quality based on particle pollution.  The weighted average was 2.3,  up from the 1.3 weighted average in the State of the Air 2004 report, due to an increase in orange days, while the grade of D was the same.  It should also be noted that a grade of incomplete for meeting EPA’s Annual PM 2.5 standard of 15µg/m3 was given to all counties except Plymouth since the required monitoring data was not available.

For more information on Particulate Matter click here.

(1) Particle pollution is reported in two ways: 24-hour measurements, which look at short-term exposure and annual averages, which look at year-round exposure.  Serious health effects can occur with high levels over either short-term or year-round exposure.
(2) Orange, red, and purple days are counted from the short-term (24-hour) particle levels reported on the Air Quality Index.  Orange: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (40.5-65.4 µg/m3); Red: Unhealthy (65.5 - 150.4 µg/m3); and Purple: Very Unhealthy (150.5 – 250.4 µg/m3)
(3) Wgt. Avg: The weighted average was derived by adding the three years of individual county data (2001-2003), multiplying the sums of each level by the assigned standard weights, i.e.1 = orange, 1.5=red, 2.0 = purple, and calculating the average. 
(4) Grades for the 24-hour or short-term measurements are as follows: A = 0.0, B = 0.3-0.9, C = 1.0 – 2.0, D = 2.1-3.2, F = 3.3+. 
(5) Design Value: A calculated concentration of the pollutant based on the form of the national standard. EPA calculates this value and uses it to determine whether or not the county meets the national standard.
(6) Grades for the Annual Average are based on EPA's determination of violations of the national ambient air quality standard for annual PM 2.5 of 15 µg/m3 as reported in communications from the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards in February 2005. Grades are reported as follows: "P" for Pass: Meeting the standard; "F" for Fail: Not meeting the standard; "I" for Incomplete: Insufficient data existed to determine. 
(7) * indicates incomplete monitoring data for all three years. Therefore, those counties are excluded from the grade analysis.
(8) A dash (-) indicates that there is no monitor collecting data in the county.