South Coast AQMD unveils new toolkit to help residents use air quality sensors and understand data

Air pollution is a key issue in Fontana, and now local residents and public officials can use a new toolkit that can help them better analyze the air quality conditions in their area.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) has published a guide called “Community in Action: A Comprehensive Educational Toolkit on Air Quality Sensors” to help residents understand air quality project planning, best practices for using sensors and understanding the data.

The Toolkit contains an Air Sensor Guidebook on sensor installation and calibration, data analysis and visualization tools, infographics and examples of reports and analysis produced by partner communities to provide a complete package of educational materials. Engaging training videos provide background information on air quality monitoring and sensor installation.

“The step-by-step guidance in the Toolkit will help academic researchers, community leaders and residents interested in their local air quality to understand how to set up and use their own air quality sensors,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s executive officer. “By following the guidance, residents can empower themselves to better explore air quality data and trends in their communities, backyards and other locations where sensors are installed.”

Some residents of southern Fontana have been concerned about the increasing number of warehouses in the city and the resulting effect on air quality. In addition, city officials have been studying the situation and have pledged to maintain a healthy local environment.

The Toolkit was shaped through a collaborative effort with 14 different California communities (including some in the Inland Empire) over five years and the experience of deploying nearly 400 air quality sensors under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science to Achieve Results grant. These tools and resources will promote more effective and successful use of sensors, leading to increased education and awareness of air quality issues and ways to reduce exposure and emissions among the public.

For more information on the Toolkit, visit the Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center’s (AQ-SPEC) Science to Achieve Results webpage at: http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec/special-projects/star-grant.

South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley.

For more information, visit www.aqmd.gov.