Toronto air quality map

Live air pollution map of Toronto

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Most polluted air quality stations

#stationUS AQI
1 Wolfrey Avenue

41

2 Tweedsmuir Avenue

37

3 111Pacific Avenue

33

4 Spadina Avenue

33

5 Campus Walk 2

29

6 Markham Street

29

7 Queens Quay West

29

8 Toronto Downtown

29

9 Ursula Franklin Street

29

10 Ontario Ministry of the Environment Toronto North

28

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Toronto MAP AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS

What readings are shown on the air quality map for Toronto?

Air quality readings present on the pollution map for Toronto can be seen above in various locations throughout the city, given in the form of a US AQI reading. This is a number aggregated from the several main pollutants that are typically found in the air throughout Canada as well as globally, hence the prevalence of its use, which can be particularly helpful in determining the level of air cleanliness or pollution levels present at any time of the year. For people who may be either new to using air quality maps for Toronto or have been using them already, the following article will offer some insight into the usage of air quality maps, and details regarding pollution levels, who they may affect the most, as well as what the air may contain (pollution wise) when the US AQI readings shown on the map above start to rise. Much of Canada has a great and time-tested reputation for exceptional air quality, and although this is a major factor that can determine how polluted the country's air is and thus how worried citizens should (or shouldn’t) be, it is important to note that air pollution levels can change at any time, particularly when larger cities with a high population density and increasing vehicle ownership is concerned.

Readings shown on the air quality map can be followed at any time of the day, and as they are updated regularly, consistently checking in on the air pollution readings relevant to the city as a whole or to areas near daily routes or living areas can give great insight into what the air cleanliness levels are like, and whether or not pollution spikes are occurring at any given time (which may sometimes present themselves in a pattern, one easy to note one being that of rush hour traffic and the subsequent pollution increases brought about as a result of many vehicles being stuck within a smaller area, along with tall buildings potentially causing particles and polluting gases to accumulate within them (due to blocking off strong winds to clear the pollutants out from these areas). Despite this, to cite some examples in late August of 2022 to use for the sole purpose of giving an example (as was said, these can and will change at any given time throughout the year), the city of Toronto had many 'good' air quality readings, all of which show up as green on the air quality map above and require a US AQI reading of 50 or below. The closer to 0 such a reading is, the better its air cleanliness level will be along with significantly fewer pollutants permeating the air, which include ones such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone (all of which can be released by vehicles, as well as other combustion sources), and carbon monoxide, along with particle pollutants known as PM2.5 and PM10, which are classified according to their size, with PM2.5 being the far more dangerous of the two due to its minute size of 2.5 micrometers or less making it extremely dangerous and damaging to the lungs and other parts of the body (as its small size enables it to potentially cross the blood barrier in the lungs and make its way to other parts of the body via the circulatory system).

As many of the readings present for Toronto in August 2022 were lower than 15, the air would have been significantly freer from such chemicals and particulate matter. Checking the air quality map above regularly for potential spikes in US AQI levels can be of great benefit to the health of users and their families.

What are some causes of higher pollution levels on Toronto’s air quality map?

Fires within Toronto as well as ones taking place in the immediate vicinity (or even further away, depending on wind currents) can cause air pollution levels on the map above to rise significantly. Other causes of air pollution include exhaust fumes from cars, motorbikes and other heavier freight vehicles (which incidentally can also release large amounts of rubber particles into the air over a long-term basis, with residual wear and tear of tire treads causing this phenomenon to occur.

Whilst it is not an immediate threat to health, naturally, it can cause widespread damage to the environment as well as enter deep into people’s lungs and cause problems further down the line. In keeping this to a summary, other sources of air pollution that show up on Toronto’s air quality map stem from industrial activities (power plant emissions, dust from construction sites or repairs), mass transit (particularly evident in traffic hotspots during rush hour times), as well as natural or industrial disasters such as fires, with the former being more of a common cause of elevated air pollution on the air quality map for Toronto.

Can air quality maps in Toronto prevent illnesses or pollution-related ailments?

By referencing the air quality map above for higher pollution readings, many health issues can potentially be avoided by steering clear of more polluted areas, if possible. These include main ones such as pulmonary and cardiac diseases and related issues (the lungs and heart), along with issues of the skin, such as atopic dermatitis, eczema and other irritating skin conditions. More serious health issues that may appear throughout Toronto and Canada include premature death, various types of cancer, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes ailments such as asthma or emphysema.

Can people living in Toronto benefit from referencing air pollution maps?

Certain members of society in Toronto may be more vulnerable to health issues when breathing polluted air. These people are ones such as the elderly, along with young children, babies and pregnant mothers. As such, families can benefit greatly from referencing the air quality map above, to help safeguard the health and wellbeing of family members as well as for themselves. Other groups in Canada that may need to or should take extra care are those with pre-existing health conditions and compromised immune systems (with the two often going hand in hand, as people in poor health suffering from diseases or illness will often have their immune system heavily taxed and as such are more vulnerable to damage caused by pollutants, which can also exacerbate many different ailments) along with any other individuals who have an overtly sensitive disposition or tendency towards certain chemical compounds and particles. Using air quality maps can and will help significantly in keeping these more vulnerable groups safe, especially when it is used to the effect that people can fully avoid the more polluted areas of Toronto when these elevations in the US AQI readings do occur, regardless of how clean the overall air quality level is for most of the year (as has been mentioned before in this and many other articles, no matter how clean a cities air quality is, large elevations in the pollution levels can occur at any time).


Toronto air quality data attribution

14Contributors

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