Smog settles over the Salt Lake Valley during an inversion on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Health Department has a new tool to help Utahns look out for their health.
The seasons are changing, which means inversions in the Salt Lake Valley. Inversions pull pollutants closer to the ground impacting respiratory health.
The health department’s “AirView” online map shows real-time air quality collected from sensors spread across the county.
This tool combines the work of several groups: AirU with the University of Utah, and PurpleAir in Draper to collect data that is then sent to Networked Sensor Solutions.
From there, Salt Lake County Health’s website publishes the data after correcting it for local conditions.
According to the health department, the elevation in carbon monoxide and particle pollutants impacts the health of those with heart and lung disease.
Poor air conditions can also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections and exacerbate respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.
Amie Schaeffer contributed to this report.