Children's Environmental Health Protection Program

This page last reviewed October 24, 2011

picture of two girls outside looking at the sky Children can sometimes be more at risk than adults from the harmful health effects of air pollution. Changes to state law (Senate Bill 25, Escutia 1999) established specific requirements to examine the impacts of air pollution on children's health. We are conducting special studies to determine whether the current network established to measure air pollution in California adequately reflects the levels of air pollutants that infants and children are breathing. Senate Bill 25 requires that we expand our existing monitoring program in six communities around the state and conduct special monitoring. Locations are selected where children are typically present, such as schools and daycare centers, and near sources of air pollution, including busy highways and industry. The six areas chosen exemplify the diversity of weather, geography, and air pollution sources present in California where emissions from diesel engines, automobiles, neighborhood sources, refineries and marine sources can affect air quality. Over time, we may monitor in additional areas.

Air Monitoring Locations and Results

At each of the six selected communities, approximately 40 or more toxic air pollutants as well as pollutants that contribute to smog and particulate matter are being measured for at least one year. Particulate matter from diesel engines, an important contributor to health risks from urban air toxics, is not measured directly at this time. Click on a community of interest to see air quality information.

The following are the six communities chosen:

See ARB's routine monitoring of air pollutants done throughout the state.