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Learn about our Air Quality

Three tall smokestacks against a blue sky looking over the city of Lansing
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Learn about our Air Quality

Air quality affects the environment and your overall health in myriad ways. This page contains information and resources for air quality issues in Michigan, and opportunities to receive notifications about air quality in your area. It also contains information about air quality related actions open for input from the public.

How can I be involved in the discussion?

All air quality related actions open for comment
Subscribe for calendar alerts
Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP)
-SEPs happen with some enforcement cases and can include community input 
-Find out more with our interactive SEP tool
Company air quality compliance information
 

Ozone

The Ozone layer is the upper atmosphere helps protect the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Ground-level ozone is unhealthy to breathe. It can narrow a person's airways and lungs to work harder to provide oxygen to the body. Individuals most susceptible to the effects of ozone exposure include individuals with a pre-existing or chronic respiratory disease, children, and adults who actively exercise or work outdoors.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a general name given to a group of minerals that do not dissolve in water or evaporate. Asbestos fibers resist heat and fire and cannot be broken down easily by chemicals or bacteria. Asbestos has been used in many products, such as insulation, floor tile, roofing materials and siding.   Although most of these products are no longer made using asbestos, there is still a risk of exposure to asbestos during renovations and demolitions.

Other Air Pollutants

EGLE regulates many different air pollutants. This is done through permitting of industrial sources of pollution to keep levels of pollutants below National Ambient Air Quality Standards and other health-based levels.
Air Quality Index Meter

How's my Air Quality?

We have some tools to help you better understand the air quality around you. These include a map showing color coded dots showing air conditions. The are a couple interactive maps: one showing air monitors in Michigan and what they measure. And the other is the Air Now map to help you see real-time air quality information.

Get Air Quality Alerts

Clean Air Action days are called by EGLE’s meteorologists when air quality may be harmful for sensitive groups. .Air quality forecasts, the Air Quality Index (AQI), and "Action Day!" notifications are available through EnviroFlash. Enviroflash sends notifications directly to you. Alerts may be called for fine particulate matter throughout the year and ground-level ozone from March 1 through September 30.

What are the rules for Burning?

Burning rules can be confusing. The burning of unwanted materials such as paper, trees, brush, leaves, grass, and other debris releases air pollutants and pose a forest fire hazard. The air pollution created by burning can irritate eyes and lungs, obscure visibility, soil nearby surfaces, create annoying odors or pose other nuisance or health threats.