The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Iowa’s air went over the standard set for clean air by the E-P-A 19 times from January through July of this year. D-N-R Air Quality Bureau spokesperson, Mindy Kralicek, says the most common problem is fine particles of material or dust that get trapped in the air.
She says that’s probably due to the weather pattern at the time as a stagnant weather pattern keeps the partials from being dispersed. Kralicek says some of the high levels could have come on the same day, as the air monitors take readings ever hour.
Overall, she says it’s not a major concern. She says 19 cases of the readings exceeding the E-P-A level is not that many when compared to other states that often have readings over the level. The high levels were recorded across the state, mostly near the larger cities, with Muscatine over the limit seven times; Clinton three times; Davenport three times, and in Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Iowa City each one time. The ozone standard was exceeded one time each in Waverly, Pisgah and Mason City. You can see the full report on the D-N-R website .