The city of Madison announced the installation of its first air quality monitor within the community, located at the Kennedy Heights Community Center. Sixty-four more monitors will be installed in the next few months. The city’s new air quality monitoring network will measure particulate matter concentrations in neighborhoods throughout Madison. Funding for the network was provided by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection.
Particulate matter is a type of air pollution that can have significant negative impacts on the health of community members. Low-income and BIPOC residents bear disproportionate harm from air pollution.
The city’s air quality monitoring network will gather data that can be used to communicate to residents their hyperlocal exposure to particulate matter pollution. The project will also operate as an educational resource for helping residents find practical solutions to poor air quality events. Fifty-six sensors will be placed on city-owned street poles, five will be placed at city parks, and four, including the installation at Kennedy Heights Community Center, are slated to be placed at partner organizations.
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