Air quality studies

High resolution mobile monitoring study

Soon, you may see a vehicle driving around your neighborhood that looks like a delivery van. This one won't leave anything on your porch though. Instead, these vans are sampling air to analyze what is in the air.

We are starting a one‑year mobile monitoring study to better understand outdoor air pollution affecting 18 communities and 7 participating Tribes across Washington. To measure air pollution at the neighborhood level, we’ll use a fleet of cargo vans carrying fast‑response air monitors that capture a range of air pollutants as the vans travel through local streets. Mobile air monitoring can show neighborhood‑level differences in air pollution that other tools cannot detect.

When the study is done, we — along with local clean air agencies, communities, and Tribes — will have more air quality information to:

• Identify possible gaps in air monitoring data.
• Improve future air monitoring efforts.
• Show where air quality improvements are needed.

What's next

In May 2026, we hired Spheros Environmental to do the mobile air monitoring. Before field work starts this winter, we will spend a few months planning the project and testing the equipment. We will also be letting people know what to expect, what the vehicles look like, and what work is being done. We plan to have results available by Spring 2028.

For more information:

• Read about the High Resolution Mobile Monitoring Project.
• Email us your thoughts about this study.

This study is funded by $10 million from the Climate Commitment Act. The Climate Commitment Act supports Washington's climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health.

Ozone studies

Ozone high in the atmosphere protects people from the sun's harmful radiation. But ground-level ozone harms people and plants. It forms when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with each other in sunlight and hot temperatures. This air pollution comes from vehicles, industry, and other sources. It creates smog.

Although Washington currently meets the national ozone standards, we continue to watch these areas closely:

• Western foothills of Cascade Mountains
• Tri-Cities area (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland)

Tri-Cities ozone precursor study

In Summer 2016, we partnered with Washington State University and Benton Clean Air Agency to conduct the Tri-Cities ozone precursor study. This study measured precursors of ozone, including nitrogen and volatile organic compounds at two sites in the Tri-Cities, as well as from a mobile platform that drove throughout the region.

What happens next

We're partnering with Benton Clean Air Agency to identify and implement reduction measures and raise public awareness. Find out what you can do to reduce ozone.

More information

• Tri-Cities Ozone Precursor Study Report (long)
• Studying ozone in the Tri-Cities (short)

Particulate matter studies

One of the air quality issues facing Washington is particle pollution, especially those particles that are 2.5 micrometers (PM_2.5) in diameter or smaller. These particles can pass through the throat and nose into the lungs.

People with heart or lung diseases, children, and adults 65 and older are more likely to be irritated by particle pollution exposure. These particles can harm health by causing:

• Earlier death in people with heart or lung disease
• Higher chance of heart attacks
• Airway irritation, coughing, difficulty breathing, and increased asthma symptoms

Read about particulate matter studies we have conducted.