DELAWARE — Delaware continues to make progress toward cleaner air, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control 2023 Annual Air Quality Report, even as smoke from Canadian wildfires caused temporary spikes in pollution.
(DNREC).
The report, released by DNREC, is based on certified ambient air data collected throughout the 2023 calendar year. It shows that most major pollutants remained below the limits set by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), with the exception of ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which were temporarily elevated due to the wildfire smoke that blanketed much of the East Coast in the spring and summer of 2023. The report also noted that air toxics in Wilmington remained low or continued to decline.
Despite those spikes, DNREC says the state recorded 353 days with air quality rated as “good” or “moderate” under the federal Air Quality Index (AQI), more than 96% of the year. The AQI, which is available daily through DNREC’s website and the EPA’s AirNow platform, provides real-time information on pollution levels and associated health effects.
While New Castle County is listed as being in “Serious Non-Attainment” for ozone, DNREC officials say that all three Delaware counties currently meet federal air quality standards.
"We still have challenges however, ones that affect the health of both our people and the planet. That’s why we need policies, programs and tools in place to reduce emissions and pollutants and continue to make Delaware’s air even cleaner," said DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson.
The full report is available online at de.gov/airmonitoring.