Page 12

The
Quality
of
Madison's
Air
Bill Rock, Steve Sargent, and Julie Redding
  Madison,    Wisconsin, like   all cities  in
industrialized countries, has an air pollution prob-
lem. Compared with that of large cities such as
Chicago and Los Angeles, the situation is still
within manageable limits. The purpose of this
report is to outline the extent of air pollution in
Madison and identify the primary sources and
amounts of this pollution, and to suggest some
remedies. This survey is not all-inclusive. For
example, we have not included data on such air
pollutants as smoke from burning leaves or open
dump burning, or from such natural processes as
grass or forest fires. Instead, we have concentrated
on the primary sources of man-made pollutants for
which data are available. This is not to imply that
the pollutant sources listed are the only ones worth
worrying about.
Is There A Problem?
  Unfortunately, the Madison public does not
appear to be aware that there is in fact an air
pollution problem. Such an attitude is understand-
able in view of the rosy picture of Madison's
present air quality painted by the local press (Refs.
3,4,5). For example, the Capital Times began its
Nov. 20, 1969, story on Madison's air quality with
the sentence, "Stop trying to hold your breath,
Madison residents. Your air is as clean as ever."
The basis for this optimistic assessment was a
report in November, 1969, by the Madison Depart-
ment of Public Health titled "Madison's Air." (Ref.
3). Specifically, the report covered the levels of
particulates (including among others, dust and
ragweed pollen), sulfur oxides (SOX), and benzpy-
rene. It was the data on particulates, which had not
shown a significant increase over ten years despite
the 33'S population growth, which led to the
12
soothing news stories.
  However, the report did not include figures on
carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (03), nitrogen
oxides (NO,), and hydrocarbons (HC), which from
a health standpoint can be more serious pollutants
than particulates. No known data exist on concen-
trations of nitrogen oxides, ozone, or hydro-
carbons in Madison, but the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources carried out a study of carbon
monoxide in Madison, and released it on August 7,
1969 (Ref. 2. For a fuller account, see Ref. 8:
David Thompson's series of articles on carbon
monoxide in the Daily Cardinal, Feb. 5-7, 1970.)
This study found a very high level of CO on State
Street during rush hour under unfavorable weather
conditions. This level, 70 parts per million of air
(ppm), is as high as those found in very heavily
polluted urban areas. Averages were considerably
below 70 ppm, ranging from 13 to 22 ppm
depending on location and season of year. The high
CO concentration found on State Street, however,
indicates that dangerous levels can build up under
the right (or wrong) combination of adverse
conditions. This DNR study alone is sufficient
evidence to indicate that Madison does have {a air
pollution problem, even though it may not affect
all Madison citizens all the time.
Primary Madison Air Pollutants
  The specific air pollutants to be examined
quantitatively in this report are particulates, sulfur
oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon
monoxide.
  Air-borne particulates are produced by nature in
the form of dust storms, plant pollens, volcanic
eruptions, salt sea spray, and so forth, In addition,
man adds to this natural load by burning things-
                          WISCONSIN ENGINEER