Particulate matter

This blog provides a recap of our recent webinar on the RAC Air Health Monitor, Australia's largest and most advanced air sensor network. Hosted by David Lu, co-founder and CEO of Clarity, the session featured key insights from Julian and David from the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) of Western Australia, and Martin from Ramboll.

We are thrilled to announce that starting April 2024, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) is now integrating data from Clarity’s Node-S air quality sensors into their cutting-edge, real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) model. This model operates across a detailed grid of 1,218 cells, each 5 kilometers square, providing localized air quality updates to the residents of the South Coast AQMD region.

TL;DR — Ports and logistics operations are major sources of harmful air pollution that affects air quality and climate health both locally and at the global scales — especially as maritime shipping becomes increasingly prominent globally. By implementing effective air quality monitoring and port emission reduction strategies, we can work to reduce these negative impacts and promote more environmentally friendly global supply chains.

We asked Drew Hill, Data Science & Applied Research Lead at Aethlabs to help us take a deep dive into black carbon air pollution, exploring the science behind this air pollutant, its origins, its impacts, and the urgency & importance of accurate black carbon measurement.

This certification marks a significant milestone, ensuring that Clarity's monitors meet the highest data quality standards and can be relied upon for indicative ambient air quality measurements. The MCERTS certification comes as no surprise given Clarity’s impressive collocation results around the world, but this independent qualitative and quantitative verification for our air quality measurements reinforces Clarity's commitment to providing the most accurate and reliable air quality monitoring solutions on the market.

This legislation allocates approximately $2 million in funds through IRA 60105 (c) Grant Program specifically for the deployment, integration, and operation of air quality sensors in communities identified as low-income or disadvantaged, highlighting a commitment to environmental justice and the mitigation of pollution's unequal health impacts.

Recently, the Greater London Authority and Imperial College London released the 2021–2022 Breathe London Network Air Quality Monitoring Report, highlighting key statistics on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and showcasing the impressive performance of these air quality sensors in comparison to reference monitors.

The summer season can impact air quality due to its high temperatures and weather patterns, which can not only increase the concentration of harmful air pollutants such as ground-level ozone but also degrade air quality and threaten human health through air stagnation, heat waves, drought, and an increased risk of wildfire.

Poor air quality has been linked to a variety of detrimental economic impacts, especially related to healthcare expenditures, lost workdays, ecosystem damage, and decreased tourism. However, research also shows that the economic gain associated with improving the air outweigh these costs by a factor of 30, presenting clear support of air pollution mitigation action.

Mining and industrial operations are major sources of air pollution, making it highly important to monitor air quality to protect employees and surrounding communities from exposure.