Check the air quality!

On our website, anyone living in the Małopolska region can easily check what the air quality is like in the area.

How is air quality determined?

The map on the Malopolska portal contains data from sensors installed throughout the region. The measurements come from the stations of the State Environmental Monitoring carried out by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, the Krakow Smog Alarm’s dust meters used as part of the LIFE project and a new network of sensors installed at schools.

Air quality in Poland is studied all the time. The results are obtained ‘on-line’ and presented as averages over one hour. When studying the composition of the air, attention is largely paid to harmful components . The data collected primarily concern concentrations of PM10 dust, PM2.5 dust, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3). The concentration levels of selected substances are colour-coded. A kind of ‘air quality index’ is then created. This is both an indication of whether the air quality is very good or not. Younger users can read the result by suggesting both the colours and the “smiley faces”. Those more inquisitive can follow the numerical values. In addition, by expanding the data from individual stations, we have access to a graph showing the concentration history for the last 24 hours.

Why check air quality?

We all feel the effects of poor air quality. Headaches, burning eyes, scratchy throats are only the least severe symptoms that appear.  The elderly, people with respiratory and circulatory problems, pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. The key to protecting yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of smog on our bodies is to check the air quality regularly. Being aware of the danger is the first, very important step that can save our health and even the lives of those close to us. We can then plan our activities in such a way as not to expose ourselves to the undesirable effects. Avoiding intensive outdoor activities, not ventilating rooms, switching on the air purifier are just some of the measures we can take.

Degrees of risk

Specific atmospheric conditions (high weather and frost) favour the formation of smog. We may encounter a situation where air quality measurements and forecasts indicate a risk of exceeding acceptable pollution levels. We then see the messages: “Attention: there will be bad air quality today”. In such cases, degrees of air pollution risk are introduced.

Danger levels occur when there is a risk of exceeding alert, information, limit and target levels of substances in the air.

The Vulnerable Persons notice is a notification of the risk of exceeding the 24-hour average limit level for PM10 particulate matter.

Grade 1 (yellow) indicates a risk of exceeding the annual average limit level (50 μg/m3 for PM10). It is only issued once a year when we see that there is a risk of exceeding the annual average limit level.

Grade 2 (orange) is the risk of exceeding the information level (100 μg/m3 for PM10).

Grade 3 (red) indicates the risk of exceeding the alert level (150 μg/m3 dla pyłu PM10).

The higher the degree introduced, the higher the pollution is and therefore more harmful to health.

These days, remedial short-term measures are taken which should reduce the levels of pollutant concentrations in the air.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to the newsletter. It’s easy! Go to the bottom of the page. Once you have entered your email address and clicked on the county you are interested in, you will receive warnings about poor air quality. Keep up to date. Raise awareness. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive air quality warnings to your email address. In addition, you can download a widget which, when placed on the website, will inform you of the current air quality and the introduced air pollution danger levels.

Local Public Alert System

SYSLOP is a new information and warning system on the risk of exceeding and exceeding air quality standards. The genesis of its creation is related to the obligation of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection to immediately communicate smog alerts. The system is currently being piloted in, among others, the Małopolskie Voivodeship.

You are encouraged to register at: https://portal.syslop.pl/ Registering on this portal, as well as subscribing to the newsletter, enables you to receive announcements of issued degrees of emergency.