Air Quality

The quality of our air impacts the way many people who reside, work and recreate in Superior live their lives. Poor air quality can negatively impact health, further accelerate climate change, and decrease visibility in the community. The Town is committed to improving air quality, both indoor and outdoor, by collaborating with local and regional partners and educating the community on simple steps that can make a positive impact.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental threats to public health. Formaldehyde, asbestos, radon, and tobacco smoke are common indoor air quality pollutants in the region. Other indoor pollutants that can be associated with health or irritating effects are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, household and personal care products, microorganisms, and allergens. The strategies of this chapter focused on indoor air quality will help develop a better understanding of what indoor air quality threats exist in Superior and address them through education, policies, and regulations.

Boulder County and its jurisdictions are a part of the Denver Metropolitan Nonattainment/North Front Range Area. This area currently exceeds national air quality standards for ozone. Ozone is an invisible, odorless gas that, depending on where it is in the atmosphere, either harms or protects us. Ground-level ozone or “bad” ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between other pollutants in the presence of heat and sunlight. Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Particulate matter levels in the region are variable and depend on many localized situations or seasonal events, such as wildfires. These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals. Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles.

Various daily activities contribute to poor air quality including driving and using landscape equipment. Strategies from other chapters of this plan, including Transportation and Climate, drive emission reductions that will contribute to cleaner and healthier air. The strategies of this chapter focused on outdoor air quality are those which were not captured in the other chapters, or that are a high enough priority to be reinforced here.

Using PurpleAir technology, the Town of Superior has three air quality sensors installed throughout the Town that provide real-time air quality monitoring. These monitors make it possible for residents and visitors to view the potential risk from air pollution in order to make better decisions about spending time in the outdoors. The monitors have been installed at three locations around Superior including Town Hall, North Pool, and South Pool. Also included on the PurpleAir map are sensors installed by residents and businesses – creating a community of citizen scientists! The air quality monitors measure PM 2.5 which are fine particles primarily come from car, truck, bus and off-road vehicle (e.g., construction equipment, snowmobile, locomotive) exhausts, other operations that involve the burning of fuels such as wood, heating oil or coal and natural sources such as forest and grass fires. For more air quality information on the air quality index and other types of pollutants including Particulate Matter 10 and Ozone, visit airnow.gov.