Illinois Annual Air Quality Report

Illinois Annual Air Quality Report 2001

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A Message from the Director

The year 2001 marked the third year in a row that air monitoring equipment in the Illinois portion of the Chicago Metropolitan area did not register any exceedances of the federal one-hour health standard for ozone (smog). In addition, 2001 marked a milestone in air quality when monitoring data in the Chicago non-attainment area showed that the region was able to meet or attain the onehour standard. The Chicagoland area was both the largest metropolitan area and the first severe ozone non-attainment area in the nation to achieve this goal.

The data in this 2001 Annual Air Quality Report indicates that outdoor air quality in Illinois is good most of the time. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), which includes eight-hour ozone and PM_2.5, in 2001, Illinois had 40 days when air quality was considered “orange” or “unhealthy for sensitive groups” in one or more portions of the State. Of the 40 “orange” days, 22 were due to PM_2.5 (fine particles), 14 were due to 8-hour ozone, 3 were both PM_2.5 and 8-hour ozone, and 1 was due to PM₁₀.

The greatest air pollution problems in Illinois effect the large populations found in the Chicago and St. Louis Metro East regions. Ozone, which is formed by Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) reacting with sunlight, has been linked to respiratory problems for humans as well as damaging the ecosystem.

Data collected by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shows the State has been experiencing an on-going trend of decreased levels of PM_2.5 and ozone. Still, there is further work to be done by both individuals and businesses, to ensure that Illinois air quality continues to improve for all of our residents. In recent years, the Illinois EPA and the Partners for Clean Air coalition have joined together to promote the benefits of individual actions to reduce air pollution. The Ozone Action Day program has had a major impact on air quality in the Chicagoland area, with an estimated reduction of 20 tons of VOCs each day through individual “clean air actions.” During the summer of 2002, as a result of the “Green Pays on Green Days” program sponsored by Illinois EPA and Partners for Clean Air, several thousand more Chicago area residents “took the clean air pledge” and became part of the solution to air pollution.

The Illinois EPA has been committed to fighting air pollution since the Agency was formed in 1970. Illinois has vigorously implemented a variety of regulatory and voluntary programs impacting both industry sources and vehicles to reduce harmful pollutants in our air.

This 31^st Annual Air Quality Report provides information collected in 2001 from the IEPA Bureau of Air’s statewide air monitoring network. The more than 200 monitors that make up the network measure a number of pollutants and air toxic compounds. This report is being provided in hopes that it will be helpful to citizens, business, organizations and all other interested parties. Your comments and/or questions are welcomed so that we can better address your informational needs.

Renee Cipriano
Director

Executive Summary

This report presents a summary of air quality data collected throughout the State of Illinois during the calendar year - 2001. Data is presented for the six criteria pollutants (those for which air quality standards have been developed - particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead) along with some heavy metals, nitrates, sulfates, and volatile organic compounds. Monitoring was conducted at over 90 different site locations collecting data from more than 200 instruments.

In terms of the Air Quality Index (AQI) air quality during 2001 was either good or moderate more than 89% of the time throughout Illinois. There were 40 days when air quality in some part of Illinois was considered Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (17 for 8-hour ozone ,25 for PM_2.5, and 1 day for PM₁₀, 3 days were high for both ozone and PM2.5). This compares with 25 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups days in 2000. The increase is more due to 2000 being a cleaner year in terms of weather patterns than an indication of worsening air quality. Air quality trends for the criteria pollutants are continuing to show downward trends or stable trends well below the level of the standards. Percentage changes over the ten year period 1992 – 2001 are as follows: Particulate Matter (PM₁₀) 16% decrease, Sulfur Dioxide 34% decrease, Nitrogen Dioxide 4% increase, Carbon Monoxide 43% decrease, Lead 44% decrease, and Ozone 7% decrease.

Stationary point source emission data has again been included. The data in the report reflects information contained in the Emission Inventory System (EIS) as of December 31, 2001. Emission estimates are for the calendar year 2000 and are for the pollutants: particulate matter, volatile organic material, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. Emission trends of these pollutants has been given for the years 1981 to the present. Emissions reported with the Annual Emissions Report have been provided starting with 1992. In general there has been a trend toward decreasing emissions over this time period.