Air quality in Glenside listed as ‘unhealthy’, DEP issues Code Red Action Day until midnight

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June 7th, 2023 | By Ryan Genova

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a Code Red Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for our area until midnight Wednesday night.

According to Airnow.gov’s air quality index (AQI) online measurement tool, the Glenside area currently sits at a 184 AQI and is considered unhealthy.

The tool’s suggestions read:

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

  • Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
  • Keep outdoor activities short.
  • Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:

  • Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
  • Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
  • Be active outdoors when air quality is better.


From DEP’s announcement:

Smoke due to wildfires in eastern Canada will likely contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range on Wednesday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is declared when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce fine particulate matter air pollution by:

  • Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
  • Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.


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