AQI for you and your family

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for reporting daily air quality. It is an indication of how clean or polluted the air is, the associated health effects and the impact on sensitive groups.

Last updated: 15 March 2008

What is the Air Quality Index (AQI) ?

The Air Quality Index is a quick and easy tool to let you know:

• Air pollution levels in your community
• A forecast of tomorrow's air quality (to help you plan your day)
• Who is at risk from air pollution
• Simple steps to protect yourself.

Who is sensitive to air pollution?

OZONE: Children and people with lung disease like asthma or COPD

PARTICLES: Older adults, children and people with heart and lung disease.

Six simple steps to help to help protect you and your people

1. Get to know how sensitive you are to air pollution

• Take note of the AQI - as you do the daily temperature or UV index.
• See if you get symptoms on days when the AQI is higher - or one or two days after - and whether you feel better when the AQI is low.

2. Plan activities when and where air pollution levels are lower

• If you are sensitive to ozone, try exercising in the mornings or indoors on summer days when the AQI is high due to ozone.
• Fine particle pollution is harder to avoid, but it will be lower away from busy roads and even lower in air-conditioned buildings.

3. Change your activity level

• If the AQI is high you can reduce how much air pollution you breathe by choosing an activity that is less demanding - for example, walk instead of jog; or exercise for a shorter time.

4. Listen to your body

• If you get symptoms during exercise, stop your activity. Find a less demanding activity or wait until pollution levels drop.
• Take note of air pollution health alerts - they include information on who is likely to be affected and advice on what to do.
• Make sure you have reliever medication at hand to use on high pollution days if you need to.

5. Create a clean 'indoor air zone'

• Eliminate sources of air pollution from inside your home.
• Don't allow anyone to smoke inside.
• Use electric or flued gas heating that pipes to the outside.
• Choose low emission paints, varnishes and cleaning products.
• Open windows when cooking or use a kitchen exhaust that is ducted outdoors.
• If you can eliminate air pollution from the indoor sources listed above, closing windows and doors and using a reverse cycle air conditioner may help reduce pollution levels in your home.

6. Talk with your doctor

• You could include actions to follow on air pollution alert days in your management plan.
• If you will be exercising more than usual, discuss this with your doctor to make sure that air pollution levels are taken into account.
• If you have symptoms during a certain activity, ask your doctor if air pollution could be affecting you.

How do you know when the air is unhealthy?

Get your local air quality information

You can find your local air quality forecast and hourly air quality updates by visiting the Department of Environment and Climate Change website. Once on this site, you can subscribe to alerts that will be sent to you via sms or email when your local air quality reaches unhealthy levels.

Related links

• Bushfire smoke fact sheet  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/environmental/bushfire.html
• Dust storms fact sheet  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/environmental/dust_storms.html
• Mine dust and you fact sheet  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/environmental/mine_dust.html
• More about air quality  http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/environment/air/index.asp