Winter Pollution

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Click below to be added to the RAQC's

High Pollution Season Advisory
e-mail list.

We will send you a daily e-mail to let you know whether it is a red or blue air quality day.


Denver's Winter High Pollution Season (HPS)

Winter Pollutants

Red/Blue Advisories

Current Conditions

Measuring Pollution

From November 1 through March 31, at 4:00 p.m., the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issues daily air pollution advisories for the seven-county Denver metropolitan area. The APCD has been issuing these advisories for more than 15 years. The RAQC helps the APCD to get the word out by faxing and e-mailing to local governments, businesses, and other organizations.

APCD's High Pollution Advisory Program urges citizens to do their part to reduce winter air pollution. Strong temperature inversions can lead to increased carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) levels and impaired visual air quality in the region during the winter months, jeopardizing our health and our economy.

Winter Pollutants
	Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is formed from incomplete combustion. Vehicle exhaust is the major source of CO pollution in the Front Range region. It affects us by entering our lungs and inhibiting our body’s ability to transport oxygen.
	Particulate matter (PM) refers to airborne particles that can be inhaled and reduce lung function. Common sources of larger particles include windblown dust, unpaved roads, street sand, and crushing and grinding operations. Common sources of smaller or "fine" particles include motor vehicles, power generation, diesel emissions, and wood smoke. Fine particles are a major contributor to the wintertime "Brown Cloud" in the Denver region.
Federal health-based standards exist for both carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The State of Colorado also has a visibility standard that applies during daylight hours in the Front Range region throughout the winter High Pollution Season. Meteorologists at the Air Pollution Control Division use weather information and the expected effect of air pollution emissions from a variety of sources to forecast air quality through a daily color-coded advisory system.

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Advisories
	Red advisories indicate that conditions are poor or are expected to worsen. They activate mandatory residential burning restrictions and call for voluntary driving reductions. Residential burning restrictions apply to everyone in the seven-county metro Denver area residing below 7,000 feet in elevation, with exceptions for those using EPA-certified or other approved devices according to Colorado Regulation No. 4. Public participation during a "Red Advisory" will help lower winter air pollution levels in the Denver area on days when conditions could lead to violations of one or more air pollution standards.
	Blue advisories indicate that conditions are good or are expected to improve. They require no public action. However, the use of alternate transportation is encouraged whenever possible, and motorists are encouraged to properly maintain their vehicles.
Most municipalities in the seven-county region have adopted ordinances to restrict residential burning when a "Red Advisory" is issued. These include Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Broomfield, Denver, Englewood, Federal Heights, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Lafayette, Lakewood, Littleton, Longmont, Mountain View, Sheridan, Thornton, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge. In other municipalities within the metro area, the state's residential burning regulation applies. No fuel of any kind can be burned in a unapproved stove or fireplace when a "Red Advisory" is in effect. However, certified wood burning stoves and pellet stoves (Colorado Phase III or U.S. EPA Phase II) and natural gas fireplaces and fireplace inserts are exempt and can be used any time. (Click here for more information on Colorado Regulation No. 4)

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Current Air Quality Conditions
	Call the 24-hour Air Quality Advisory hotline at 303-758-4848. This hotline is updated every afternoon by 4 p.m. throughout the winter High Pollution Season.
	Call the Air Quality Bulletin hotline at 303-782-0211. This hotline is updated every day at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. year round.
	Check the Denver Rocky Mountain News, listen to the radio, or watch your favorite local newscast. Most media include information about the current advisory in their news, weather, or traffic updates.
	Visit the Air Pollution Control Division's web site at http://apcd.state.co.us/psi/advisory.html.

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Measuring Pollution

Two scales are used to report on air pollution levels. The Air Quality Index (AQI) and the Visibility Standard Index (VSI) reflect actual air quality conditions. Calculations are used to convert actual pollutant concentrations to the following user-friendly scales:

AQI Category	AQI Range
Good	0-50
Moderate	51-100
(- - - - - - - - - - - - - Health standard - - - - - - - - - - - - )
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	101-150
Unhealthy	151-200
Very Unhealthy	201-300
Hazardous	301-above

VSI Category	VSI Range
Good	0-50
Moderate	51-100
(- - - - - - - - - - - - Visibility standard - - - - - - - - - - - )
Poor	101-200
Extremely Poor	201-above

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What Can I Do?
	Comply with the mandatory residential burning restrictions. Residential burning activities have been curtailed dramatically in the Front Range region over the past 15 years.
	Use alternative transportation whenever possible. Carpool, ride the bus, or take the light rail. Motor vehicles are responsible for 90 percent or more of the carbon monoxide problem in the Denver area and about 60 percent of the particulate matter problem (road dust, tailpipe emissions, street sanding, etc.). Approximately 30 percent of the visibility problem can be attributed directly to motor vehicle use. Motor vehicle use also contributes significantly to carbon dioxide -- a major global warming gas -- and to air toxins like volatile organic compounds, organic aerosols, and unburned hydrocarbons.
	If you must drive, combine or link trips. Cold start emissions from vehicles are responsible for 80 - 90 percent of the total emissions emitted from vehicles.
	Properly maintain your vehicle through regular oil changes and regular maintenance service intervals suggested by the vehicle manufacturer. A poorly-maintained vehicle pollutes as much as 25 times more than a well-maintained vehicle.
	Explore telecommuting and teleworking options with your employer on High Pollution Days.
	Teleconference instead of requiring everyone driving to one location for a meeting.
	Conserve energy - turn down the thermostat.

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