No need to hold your breath for smog alerts, Victoria will let you monitor air quality in a new interactive mapping system. Image: Ian
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked in the 1990s about ‘smog alerts’ in Los Angeles warning people to stay indoors and drew attention to the fact that the air inside the house is comes from the city where the house is.
But without using the alarming term “smog”, the Victorian government has created a new system that allows state-wide residents and businesses to easily understand information about the air they breathe.
It comes in the form of an interactive map of Victoria called EPA AirWatch, which the government said will provide the community with a “quick and reliable” way to check local readings of air quality to obtain health advice on days when poor air quality is recorded.
Essentially, the system assigns air ratings to certain parts of the state, ranging from ‘VG’ for ‘very good air quality’ to ‘VP’ for ‘very poor air quality’ as part of the air quality index (AQI) categories.
In a similar vein to a fire alert system that can usually be found in any bush laden country land, the system also marks areas of the map with colour codes in health categories such as yellow representing ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ to very dark red representing ‘hazardous’ extreme.
The system uses data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s 19 air monitoring locations across metropolitan and regional Victoria, and will show a range of common pollutants in the air.
People who use the system are set to receive a wealth of information about the air they inhale (and would normally take for granted) such as regular updates from the Department of Health and Human resources on the potential impact smoke could be having on ambient air in times of bushfires.
Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Lisa Neville said EPA AirWatch has been designed to provide Victorians with a quick and easy way to check local readings of air quality
“These readings will be particularly helpful for those with heart and lung conditions, children under 14 years, pregnant women and those aged over 65,” Ms Neville said.
“Victorians are urged to check EPA AirWatch – particularly on days with strong winds and in times of bushfire when there can be a lot of smoke in the atmosphere.”
She said air quality is better now than in the 1970s due to controls implemented through the Environment Protection Act 1970 to reduce sources of air pollution and industry complying with more environmentally friendly practices and tighter emissions regulations.
