Delaware News


Delaware Recognizes Air Quality Awareness Week May 3 to 7

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Air Quality | Date Posted: Friday, April 30, 2021



Coincides with Onset of Ozone Season and Raised Risk of Unhealthy Air

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control joins national organizations to recognize Air Quality Awareness Week on May 3 to 7. The national theme for 2021 is “Healthy Air – Important for Everyone!”

The DNREC Division of Air Quality, which monitors and regulates the emissions to the air, encourages residents to learn more about the important role of air quality for the health of people and the Earth.

Delawareans can consult the Air Quality Index (AQI) to learn about current local conditions. Created under the Clean Air Act, this online resource from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors and reports on air quality each day.

In Delaware, air quality is rated as “good” for most days of the year. However, there are days when local air quality can pose health risks to sensitive populations, and the AQI offers up-to-the-minute data on when and where such days might be occur.

Air Quality Awareness Week, hosted by the U.S. EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also serves notice that with warmer weather comes the ozone season in Delaware. The EPA and its partner agencies including DNREC use the weeklong-recognition event to encourage people to check the AQI daily to find out when they might be most at risk of poor air quality from ozone in their location.

DNREC advises a few ways Delawareans can help reduce air pollution and help everyone breathe easier:

  • Drive less. Bike, walk, carpool, or take public transportation when you can.
  • Keep your vehicle on ozone season alert. Limit engine idling, refuel only after dark, rely on clean transportation when possible. If you must drive, avoid congested times of day.
  • Conserve electricity. Keep your air conditioner thermostat set at a higher temperature (72 degrees), participate in energy conservation programs, and use major appliances less often when possible.
  • Be aware of Delaware’s open burning ban, which runs from May 1 through Sept. 30. All open burning is prohibited on Air Quality Action Days, when Delaware’s air quality has been forecast as unhealthy.

DNREC provides regular air quality forecasts and an air quality index to help the public know when to take precautions an ozone action day. Visit de.gov/aqi to sign up for air quality email alerts.

Additionally, because air quality in Delaware is affected by pollution in the region, DNREC Division of Air Quality also maintains the Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Network throughout the state and partners with the Air Quality Partnership of Delaware.

Another DNREC partner for improving air quality is the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, which addresses numerous clean air topics, including major air pollutants and their health impacts; global warming; industrial sources of pollution; state and local implementation of clean air programs; and clean transportation spanning vehicles, engines and fuels.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Air Quality monitors and regulates all emissions to the air. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.

Delaware Recognizes Air Quality Awareness Week May 3 to 7

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control | Division of Air Quality | Date Posted: Friday, April 30, 2021



Coincides with Onset of Ozone Season and Raised Risk of Unhealthy Air

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control joins national organizations to recognize Air Quality Awareness Week on May 3 to 7. The national theme for 2021 is “Healthy Air – Important for Everyone!”

The DNREC Division of Air Quality, which monitors and regulates the emissions to the air, encourages residents to learn more about the important role of air quality for the health of people and the Earth.

Delawareans can consult the Air Quality Index (AQI) to learn about current local conditions. Created under the Clean Air Act, this online resource from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors and reports on air quality each day.

In Delaware, air quality is rated as “good” for most days of the year. However, there are days when local air quality can pose health risks to sensitive populations, and the AQI offers up-to-the-minute data on when and where such days might be occur.

Air Quality Awareness Week, hosted by the U.S. EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also serves notice that with warmer weather comes the ozone season in Delaware. The EPA and its partner agencies including DNREC use the weeklong-recognition event to encourage people to check the AQI daily to find out when they might be most at risk of poor air quality from ozone in their location.

DNREC advises a few ways Delawareans can help reduce air pollution and help everyone breathe easier:

  • Drive less. Bike, walk, carpool, or take public transportation when you can.
  • Keep your vehicle on ozone season alert. Limit engine idling, refuel only after dark, rely on clean transportation when possible. If you must drive, avoid congested times of day.
  • Conserve electricity. Keep your air conditioner thermostat set at a higher temperature (72 degrees), participate in energy conservation programs, and use major appliances less often when possible.
  • Be aware of Delaware’s open burning ban, which runs from May 1 through Sept. 30. All open burning is prohibited on Air Quality Action Days, when Delaware’s air quality has been forecast as unhealthy.

DNREC provides regular air quality forecasts and an air quality index to help the public know when to take precautions an ozone action day. Visit de.gov/aqi to sign up for air quality email alerts.

Additionally, because air quality in Delaware is affected by pollution in the region, DNREC Division of Air Quality also maintains the Delaware Air Quality Monitoring Network throughout the state and partners with the Air Quality Partnership of Delaware.

Another DNREC partner for improving air quality is the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, which addresses numerous clean air topics, including major air pollutants and their health impacts; global warming; industrial sources of pollution; state and local implementation of clean air programs; and clean transportation spanning vehicles, engines and fuels.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Air Quality monitors and regulates all emissions to the air. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.