Improve the quality of Washington's natural resources
Indicator 1: Reduce Negative Impacts on the Environment
Measure d: Number of Washingtonians Exposed to Polluted Air In Monitored Areas
Description:
The Department of Ecology monitors pollutants at various monitoring stations throughout Washington State. The two pollutants of particular public health concern are ozone and particulate matter of 2.5 microns or smaller. This indicator measures the number of impaired-air-days (anything other than good air quality) for both PM2.5 and ozone, and estimates the population exposured for each impaired-air-day. This provides an estimate of the count of people in Washington State that breathed impaired air for extended periods during each year.
The number of people exposed to polluted air for longer periods appears to have declined while the number exposed for shorter periods has increased.
| Number of people in Washington exposed to polluted air in monitored areas | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||||||||
| 10-19 days | 26,600 |
97,600 |
317,000 |
17,800 |
527,400 |
800,200 |
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| 20-29 days | 61,800 |
340,200 |
534,600 |
848,600 |
865,400 |
288,000 |
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| 30 or more days | 2,038,000 |
1,795,800 |
1,534,400 |
1,716,800 |
1,134,500 |
1,778,100 |
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Note:
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