Air Quality and Health

Good air quality is important to your health. How air pollution affects your health depends on the particular pollutant, its concentration in the air, the length of time your lungs are exposed to it, and your own health conditions. The concentrations of certain pollutants in the air can be measured with monitoring equipment to assess air quality. The DNR actively monitors many types of air pollutants through a statewide monitoring network.

Air pollutants can also indirectly affect our health. Air pollutants deposited in lakes or rivers affect the quality of the water we drink and pollutants deposited on land or water enter the food chain and bioaccummulate in food we eat. There are federal and state standards for a small group of common air pollutants called criteria pollutants [exit DNR]. Potential short term and long term human health effects are discussed on the Sources and Health Effects page.

• Today's Air Quality (Interactive Map)
• Air Quality Watch / Air Quality Advisory
• Air Quality Index Basics
• Ozone Monitoring Trends
• PM_2.5 Monitoring Trends
• Air Monitoring Network
• Air Quality Basics
• Sources and Health Effects
• Air Quality Information for Health Professionals
• Citizens Quick Guide to Air Permits

• Acid rain in Wisconsin
• Mercury
• Wisconsin's air toxics program

Resources

• Get email notices of Air Quality Watches and Advisories.
• Air Spill Emergency Information
  1.800.943.0003
  Sec. NR 445.16 Notification requirement [exit DNR]