This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Dec. 30 article, "Bad air and broken pollution monitors to ring in 2017," brings home the inadequacy of our official air pollution monitoring system. In spite of good intentions, Utah's Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is not doing the job they should: Effectively monitoring our air quality to help protect the public from harmful polluted air.

The DAQ is apparently handicapped by old and very few monitoring stations, at least some of which may be rendering inaccurately low readings. Fortunately there is a helpful alternative. A nonprofit organization called PurpleAir (PurpleAir.org) now provides a free public service where anyone can view an air quality map in detail online and in real time.

Unlike the DAQ, which operates only a few monitors, the PurpleAir network consists of hundreds of air quality monitoring stations, mostly dispersed along the Wasatch Front and now even in other parts of the country and world. Every 10 seconds PurpleAir monitoring units report the level of the nasty, most harmful particulate component of our winter air pollution, PM 2.5. Tiny PM 2.5 particles, mostly generated when we burn carbon fuels, pass through our lungs' defenses and enter our bloodstream to do their damage. From PurpleAir's data anyone can see what air pollution levels are like at numerous monitoring sites covering much of where the bulk of Utah's population lives and works.

What's more, anyone can purchase these monitors — and have them installed at no extra charge — to become part of this valuable service network. One can go to the map of PurpleAir.org to view in real time air quality data along the Wasatch Front. Hopefully the Utah Legislature will be responsible and fully fund the DAQ so they can bring Utah's official air quality monitoring at least up to the standard now provided by PurpleAir. Hats off to PurpleAir! Good job.

James Westwater

Spanish Fork