Clean Air in Boston
We’re working to improve the air quality in our neighborhoods.
The Boston Air Pollution Control Commission and its partners work to make our City a healthier and more comfortable place to live, work, and visit. We are developing programs to improve knowledge and support community action to reduce air pollution.
The Commission's programs and policies support the work to make Boston a carbon-neutral community by 2050. Reducing air pollution results in healthier air for Bostonians. We also reduce Boston's contribution to global climate change.
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Have questions? Contact:
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1 City Hall Square, Room 709
Boston, MA 02201
Real-Time Air Quality Dashboard
Improving Boston's Outdoor Air Quality
Cummins Highway and Columbus Avenue
Construction on Cummins Highway in Mattapan began in 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2026. Construction on Columbus Avenue in Roxbury is expected to begin soon. We have deployed air quality sensors on streetlights along both corridors to better understand the air quality and public health impacts of these roadway reconstruction projects. The sensors are small, solar-powered, and do not collect any personally identifiable information. Infrastructure changes that may affect air quality include transit priority facilities, new bus lanes, improved bus stops and shelters, upgrades to public spaces such as green infrastructure, and bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements. Learn more about the Cummins Highway and Columbus Avenue reconstruction projects.
Community Clean Air Grants
The Air Pollution Control Commission’s Community Clean Air Grant program funds community-based projects that reduce air pollution and carbon emissions in Boston. First piloted in 2021, the program supports initiatives that improve environmental and public health and address climate change at the local level. It relaunched in 2025 and now operates on an annual basis. Learn about the Community Clean Air Grants.
Other Monitoring initiatives
We are partnering with researchers, government agencies, and community groups to understand outdoor air quality and the impact of our work to reduce air pollution in Boston. If you know of a monitoring initiative that is not listed on this page, please contact us at apcc@boston.gov.
2021 Community Clean Air Grant Recipients
Mother's Out Front
Read about volunteer-driven grassroots organization, Mother’s Out Front’s, installation of HEPA air filters and sensors at home daycare centers in East Boston.
HEET
As part of Boston’s Breathe Easy at Home program, HEET will distribute induction cooktops to Boston residents with gas stoves who are being treated for asthma.
Neighborhood of Affordable Housing
Learn about The Neighborhood of Affordable Housing’s partnership with East Boston Social Center to deploy HEPA filters at community hubs and in vulnerable households in East Boston.
Improving Boston's Indoor Air Quality
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS (BPS) AIR QUALITY SENSOR DASHBOARD
BPS installed Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) sensors in all classrooms in schools that report information in real-time on air quality. The use of data directs changes to the setup in each classroom. It's also used to note opportunities to reach optimal air quality and ventilation. Read about the IAQ sensing initiative and view the online dashboard.
BREATHE EASY AT HOME (BPHC)
The Breathe Easy at Home (BEAH) program is a web-based referral system offered by the Boston Public Health Commission. Healthcare professionals refer Boston residents with asthma for a home inspection led by Inspectional Services. Inspections are available in the following languages: English, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, French, and Vietnamese. Learn more about the BEAH program.
LUNCHBOX OF SENSORS
Do you want to better understand indoor air quality in your home? We are developing a toolkit of sensors that you can check out and take home. Learn more about the Lunchbox of Sensors project.
Related Initiatives
Air Quality Sensors in Roxbury
Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) partners with Air, Inc. and Olin College to deploy air quality sensors in Roxbury.
Air Quality in East Boston
Learn about GreenRoots Chelsea’s work with researchers at Boston University to understand indoor air filtration.
What does air quality mean to me?
What does air quality mean to me?
What is air pollution?
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Air pollution consists of dangerous substances from both human-made and natural sources. These pollutants can contaminate indoor or outdoor environments.
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Common sources of air pollution include furnaces, boilers, and gas stoves, cars and trucks, industrial facilities, and forest fires.
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Dangerous pollutants include; particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.
How can it affect my health?
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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air pollution can have a negative impact on human health. Yet, not everyone experiences its effects evenly. For example, women, children, and people of color can experience greater health risks.
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These health effects can include heart disease, respiratory disease, and premature mortality. These health effects can also lead to increase hospital and emergency room visits and result in lost work and school days.
How should I interpret air quality data?
Many factors affect air pollution levels, which can change very quickly.
- Pollution sources can be local or far away. Rain and wind can also help wash away air pollution and improve air quality.
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The EPA has three monitoring stations in Boston that generate high-quality data. Air quality data ranges from 0 to 500. Data 100 and below means good air quality while data 300 and above means hazardous air quality.
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Low-cost sensors are more accessible. But, their readings may not be accurate or reliable. Make sure you understand the quality of the data you’re seeing before making decisions for your health.
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Have questions? Contact:
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1 City Hall Square, Room 709
Boston, MA 02201
