Air Quality

The air we breathe is key to our quality of life. We have no choice but to pay more attention to how our actions affect air quality. This section contains information on how you can take action to improve the air quality in our cities and our state. In addition, you will find information about indoor air quality in both your home and workplace.

General Information

Check these links for information related to the national Clean Air Act and Air Quality in Alabama.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s (ADEM) Air Quality page

Indoor Air

The majority of the population spends up to 90% of their day indoors. We are experiencing an ever-decreasing quality of the air we are breathing indoors due to the introduction of a wide variety of new building and furnishing materials, each with its own concoction of volatile organic compounds, and the ongoing movement to make buildings more energy efficient. Indoor air pollutants include the following: Secondhand smoke, Carbon monoxide, Radon, Organic compounds (VOCs), Biological pollutants (animal dander, fungi, pollen, dust mite and cockroach parts, infectious agents).

• EPA’s Indoor Air Pollution Page
• U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Indoor Air Quality Page
• Alabama Cooperative Extension Service Quarterly Newsletter on Radon
• American Lung Association’s Indoor Air Quality Web Page
• HomeInsurance.org Complete Guide to Indoor Air Quality

Outdoor Air

The metro Birmingham region has been designated as a “marginal non-attainment area for ozone.” Ground-level ozone is the major component of what is commonly referred to as smog. Other Alabama areas may be added to the list. In Alabama, mobile sources, like cars and light trucks, are one of the top contributors to our ozone problem.

• EPA’s Air page
• ADEM Air Quality in Alabama including Daily Air Quality Index (Jefferson County) and Daily Ozone Forecast
• Alabama Partner’s for Clean Air (Jefferson and Shelby Counties)
• American Lung Association of Alabama

Environmental Education

Air pollution prevention tips and Resources and Materials for teachers, students, and interested parties.

• Legacy’s Citizenship Guide (Free Environmental Education Materials)
• Legacy’s Air Quality Poster (Free Environmental Education Materials)
• The National Safety Council—Conducts a variety of educational and outreach activities on air quality, including Teacher’s Modules.