- Wayne County has installed 100 air quality monitors across 43 communities in partnership with JustAir Solutions, providing real-time pollution data.
- Residents can access data via the JustAir app and sign up for personalized alerts through the MyJustAir feature using only their cell phone number.
- A virtual Community Conversation will be held later this month to discuss the initiative and how residents can engage further.
Wayne County, in partnership with Detroit-based JustAir Solutions, deployed 100 air quality monitors across its 43 communities Wednesday. The initiative aims to provide residents real-time access to air quality data, enhancing transparency and environmental awareness.
The air quality monitors can measure various pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Some are capable of tracking additional pollutants like nitrogen oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3). The installation sites were selected based on environmental justice data and recommendations from a task force of community leaders from Wayne County’s districts.
“Data is power,” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Wayne County Health Director, said in a statement. “By understanding the quality of the air we breathe in real-time, we are empowering community members with the information they need to protect themselves and to hold the polluters who poison our air accountable.
In addition to the fixed air quality monitors, Wayne County plans to distribute 500 mobile monitors to residents later this year. These devices will allow users to track air quality on the move, furthering the county’s commitment to public health and environmental equity.
Residents can access the air quality data through the JustAir app or the county’s dedicated air quality website. The app includes a new feature, MyJustAir, which allows users to subscribe to alerts from specific air quality monitors relevant to their daily locations—home, work, or other frequented places. Registration for MyJustAir requires a cell phone number.
“We are so honored to be working with County leadership on this important project. With the leaders we have at the table, we’re confident this data will be used to spark behavioral changes in residents, as well as long-term environmental and policy changes across the county,” Darren Riley, co-founder and CEO of JustAir, said in a statement.
Later this month, Wayne County and JustAir Solutions will host a virtual Community Conversation to provide more information about the air quality monitor initiative, how to access real-time data and the process for obtaining a mobile monitor. Interested parties can register for this event online.
