Philadelphia on Wednesday announced a new citywide air quality monitoring network designed to give residents real-time air quality information in every neighborhood.
Breathe Philly, a first-in-the-nation network of 76 ground-level air quality sensors, measures two common air pollutants, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, which can contribute to asthma, respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health conditions. It also affects climate and local ecosystems.
“Clean air is fundamental to public health and our vision for a cleaner and greener Philadelphia,” Mayor Cherelle Parker said. “Breathe Philly ensures no matter your zip code, you have access to real-time information about the air you and your family are breathing.”
With the launch, every Philadelphian now lives within 1.5 miles of an air quality monitor, a step the city said strengthens its ability to research neighborhood-level trends, respond to specific air quality concerns, and develop evidence-based regulations to continue decades of progress in air quality.
“Breathe Philly is the culmination of years of effort by the Health Department’s Air Management Services division to ensure high-quality, reliable, and accessible air quality data are available for all Philadelphians — in every zip code and every neighborhood,” said Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health
According to the city, the Breathe Philly tool adds dozens of sensors to an already existing network, allowing the city to research air pollution in more specific areas and create regulations aimed at improving air quality.
If data from the system show unusual pollution levels at a particular sensor or in a neighborhood, the Health Department will investigate using its Mobile Monitoring System.
In addition, the Health Department will continue to invest in the network, allowing some sensors to also measure ozone (O3) as soon as this spring.
“We’re excited to use the Breathe Philly network in our work to improve air quality, but we’re just as excited to see how residents use it – whether you’re a citizen scientist, the parent of a child with asthma, or just a resident enjoying the outdoors,” Raval-Nelson said.
