&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
WHAT ISTHE SCHOOL FLAG PROGRAM?
The Flag Program uses colored flags based on U.S.
EPA'sAir Quality Index (AQI) to notify teachers,
coaches, students, and others about outdoor air
quality conditions. Schools raise a colored flag
each day that corresponds to their local air quality
forecast.
WHY WAS THE FLAG PROGRAM DEVELOPED?
The purpose of this program is to create public
awareness of outdoor air quality conditions so
children can continue to exercise while protecting
their health when air quality is in unhealthy ranges.
Children are at greater risk from air pollution
because their lungs are still developing and they
breathe more air per pound of body weight than
adults. Even when air quality is unhealthy, exercise
can be continued indoors for children who have
symptoms outdoors. Recommendations for outdoor
activities on poor air quality days can be found at
www.airnow.gov under the School Flag Program.
WHAT ISTHEAIR QUALITY INDEX?
The AQI is a guide for reporting daily air quality.
It indicates how clean or polluted the air is and
identifies health effects. EPA uses the AQI for
five common air pollutants: ground-level ozone,
particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
and nitrogen dioxide. For each pollutant, EPA has
established national air quality standards to protect
against harmful health effects.
EPA FLAG PROGRAM CONTACT
Donna Rogers
US Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (C304-05)
E-mail: rogers.donna@epa.gov
(919)541-5478
WHAT DO THE COLORS MEAN?
The Flag Program uses green, yellow, orange, red and
purple flags.These colors correspond to the AQI.
Green means the air quality is good.
No health impacts are expected
when air quality is in this range.
Yellow means air quality is
acceptable. Unusually sensitive
people should consider limiting
prolonged outdoor exertion.
Orange means air quality is
unhealthy for sensitive groups ~
people with lung disease such as
asthma, children and older adults
should limit prolonged outdoor
exertion.
Red means air quality is unhealthy.
Sensitive groups should avoid
prolonged outdoor exertion.
Everyone else should limit prolonged
outdoor exertion.
Purple means air quality is very
unhealthy. Sensitive groups should
avoid all outdoor exertion. Everyone
else should limit outdoor exertion.
HOWWILL I KNOW WHAT COLOR FLAG TO USE?
Check the AQI to know what color flag to use at
www.epa.gov/airnow. Many cities provide an air
quality forecast via e-mail by subscribing to:
www.enviroflash.info.
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