Air Quality Program
We all desire clean air to breathe. Air pollutants can aggravate existing heart and lung conditions. Air pollution damages plant life and can result in lower yields of crops.
Air pollution has been linked to a number of health problems, such as asthma, Heart Attack and Air Quality, allergies, and breathing problems among others.
The New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking Network and the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program at the CDC work closely with the Environmental Protection Agency to provide Air Quality Index on the EPHT Network and to better understand how air pollution affects our health. On these air quality pages you will find information and data about ozone and particulate matter and the kinds of problems these can cause for our health.
As part of our Environmental Public Health Tracking, we are looking for connections between Air Quality Data and chronic disease data. One of our current studies compares Heart Attack and Air Quality.
What is Air Quality?
Air quality refers to the condition of the air that surrounds us. Indoor Air Quality refers to the condition of the air inside our homes, schools, work sites, and public buildings. Some research estimates that people can spend up to 90% of their time indoors.
Sources of indoor air pollution include dust, cigar and cigarette smoke, mold, combustion products (such as wood and oil for heating) and chemical emissions from cleaning and maintenance products, furnishings, building materials and floor coverings.
Radon and carbon monoxide are also an in indoor quality concern and exposure to these can have negative health outcomes.
- Avoid carbon monoxide exposure inside your home.
- Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
Outdoor Air Quality
Outdoor Air Pollution may come from a variety of naturally occurring and man-made sources:
- Agriculture
- Auto Emissions
- Construction
- Dust Storm Forecast Animation
- Dust Storms and Health Brochure (English)
- La Polvareda y Su Salud (Español)
- Wildfire Smoke Maps
- Environmental Public Health Tracking - Fire and Smoke
- Air Quality Index
- Manufacturing
- Military Operations
- Mining
- Oil and Gas Production, Emissions and Byproducts
- Ozone Pollution
- Pesticide Storage and Disposal
- Sand and Gravel Operations
- Wildfire Smoke Maps
Recent Activity
News Articles
Latest
- DOH issues essential guidance to address smoke impacts from fires across the state (August 7, 2023)
- State issues smoke advisory for northeast New Mexico residents (April 19, 2022)
- State issues air quality tips as multiple wildfires blaze (April 15, 2022)
Popular
- New Mexico Health, Environment Departments Monitoring Air Quality (August 26, 2015)
- Smoke Advisory for Potential Impacts to Santa Fe (October 12, 2016)
- Potential Smoke Impacts from Wildfires across New Mexico (June 19, 2017)
Health Data
Latest
- Air Quality Impacts Our Health (Epidemiology Brief)
Publications
Latest
- Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home (Guide)
- Dust Storms and Health Brochure (Marketing)
- La Polvareda y Su Salud (Spanish Version)
Resources
Latest
- Air Now: Air Quality Index
- New Mexico Wildfire Awareness Week
- New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality