Air Quality Information

Air quality is a tangible issue for many people, including business professionals and private citizens, yet air quality is difficult to touch, see, taste or smell. It is very important for the public to be aware of air quality, since ground-level ozone and particulate matter can trigger health and environmental problems, such as asthma attacks and even crop damage. Ground-level ozone forms as a result of emissions reacting with the sun during the warmer summer months (May-September). Particulate matter can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals that come from a wide variety of sources or be emitted directly. Levels for this pollutant are usually highest during the summer and winter.

On days when the potential for high amounts of ground-level ozone or particulate matter is great, meteorologists declare Clean Air Action Days (see How Clean Air Action Days are Forecasted and Take Action). On these days, and every day, the West Michigan Clean Air Coalition encourages everyone to join together and voluntarily implement actions at work, home, or in their vehicle that can reduce emissions and clear the air (see What Can I Do?).

Please explore the links from this page, including: What is Ozone?, Factors that Contibute to the Formation of Ozone, a Quick Ozone Lesson, What is Particulate Matter, Particulate Matter Lesson, an Air Quality Q&A, and other interesting air quality facts. If you are interested in being notified when a Clean Air Action Day is forecasted, visit the Become Notified page..

The West Michigan Clean Air Coalition is a partnership of businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, industry, and non-profit organizations in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo counties working together to achieve cleaner air in the region through the education and promotion of voluntary emission reduction activities.