The Challenge

Wayne County, home to 1.7 million residents across 43 communities, faced a critical air quality monitoring gap. With fewer than five regulatory monitors covering the entire region, residents living near industrial facilities and traffic corridors had no way to understand their hyperlocal air quality or protect themselves during pollution events. Communities disproportionately impacted by poor air quality lacked the data needed to advocate for policy change, challenge permits, or hold polluters accountable.

The Solution

In May 2023, Wayne County Department of Health, Human & Veterans Services launched one of the nation's most ambitious community air quality monitoring initiatives, expanding from fewer than five regulatory monitors to over 100 community sensors. Powered by JustAir's monitor-agnostic platform, the network integrates one Federal Reference Monitor with six sensor types measuring all criteria pollutants, with a focus on PM2.5 and PM10 from industrial facilities and traffic corridors.

The program was built through a deep partnership between Wayne County government and community members, ensuring the monitoring network reflects residents' priorities and addresses the pollution sources that matter most to their health.

• 20+ member regional steering committee representing government agencies, community organizations, researchers, and policy experts
• 100+ residents directly engaged in planning and deploying neighborhood monitors

Platform Features

• Unified public and administrator dashboards combining Federal Reference Monitors with six sensor types
• Real-time data validation and automated QAQC ensuring accuracy across all devices
• Data sharing allowing other municipalities to access Wayne County's monitoring infrastructure via JustAir
• Monitor-specific text alerts allow residents to customize which devices trigger notifications and at what pollution thresholds

Outcomes & Impact

• Quarterly reports identify persistent pollution hotspots 
• Hyperlocal MyJustAir text alerts enable residents to make real-time safety decisions
• Air quality evidence secured grant funding for greenspace expansion 
• Public-facing data builds trust and transparency between residents and government agencies
• Community groups and government agencies utilize data for public health interventions, permit challenge testimony, and action against polluters

Explore Wayne County Air Quality here.