Key pieces of environmental monitoring equipment in the US often fail to provide accurate air quality measurements, even when toxic clouds are spewing out of an exploded oil refinery, according to a jaw-dropping new report from Reuters.
“The government network of 3,900 monitoring devices nationwide has routinely missed major toxic releases and day-to-day pollution dangers,” the report says.
Air monitors are essential tools for determining the air quality of a particular area. An accurate air quality index (AQI) is important: hazardous particulates in the air can cause or worsen serious heart and lung problems. The article highlights myriad problems with the Environmental Protection Agency’s air quality monitoring system, using data from…