Air

Goal: To improve air quality and reduce emissions.
EMP Air Header

Human activities such as transportation, electricity generation and emissions from industrial processes can contribute to reduced air quality. Air pollution can have significant negative impacts on human health. Vegetation, fish and wildlife can all be impacted. Related to air quality is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, gases that absorb radiation from the sun and trap heat in the atmosphere. Reducing emissions will protect local air quality and mitigate climate change.

What can you do?

  • Use your Green Cart and reduce food waste to keep organic waste out of the landfill. Organics decomposing in landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions
  • Grow some of your own food to reduce emissions from transporting food
  • Reduce unnecessary vehicle idling
  • Improve energy efficiency in your house, business or apartment. The Energy & Water Conservation Toolkit available free at Red Deer Public Library can help
  • Plant trees
  • Learn about air quality issues in our region
  • Comply with fire bans when air quality is poor

Check out our progress towards achieving our goals to improve air quality and reduce emissions below.

Air quality

Measuring ambient concentrations of airborne pollutants as defined by the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS). 

Red National standards exceeded, advanced action is required by regulations
Orange Action needed to prevent exceeding national standards
Yellow Action needed to prevent air quality deterioration
Green Air quality is good and is maintained through proactive actions
*2024 Results - Partly Achieving
  Baseline (2009) 2024 Result Target (2035): not to exceed
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Yellow Yellow Yellow
Ozone (O3) Yellow Yellow Yellow
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) Green Green Yellow
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) Orange Orange Yellow
Historical results
  PM2.5 O3 SO2 NO2
2024 Yellow Yellow Green Orange
2023 Yellow Yellow Green Orange
2022 Yellow Yellow Green Orange
2021 Orange Yellow Green Orange
2020 Orange Yellow Green Orange
2019 Orange Yellow Green** Orange**
2018 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2017 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2016 Yellow Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2015 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2014 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2013 Red  Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2012 Red  Yellow  Green**  Red** 
2011 Red  Yellow  Green**  Orange** 
2010 Orange Yellow  Green**  Orange** 
2009 Yellow Yellow Green** Orange**

* 2025 air quality results are still being determined. The results table will be updated when data is available.
** Prior to 2020, SO2 and NO2 were calculated differently and were not assigned colours. These are unofficial estimates as to what the status would have been.

Greenhouse gas emissions