Air Quality Flag
PROGRAM
Air Quality Flag Program: Fact Sheet
What Is the Air Quality Flag Program?
The Flag Program uses brightly colored flags based
on the U.S. EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) to notify
people and their communities about outdoor
air quality conditions. Organizations raise a flag
each day that corresponds to their local air quality
forecast.
Why Is the Flag Program Important?
The Flag Program creates public awareness of
outdoor air quality conditions. People can continue
to get plenty of physical activity, while still
protecting their health from poor air quality. When
air quality is unhealthy, people can modify their
activities, or move them inside. Recommendations
for outdoor activities on poor air quality days can be
found at airnow.aov/flaa.
What Is The Air Quality Index?
The Air Quality Index is a guide for reporting daily
air quality. It uses colors and numbers to show how
clean or polluted the air is. EPA uses the Air Quality
Index to report ground-level ozone and particle
pollution. For each pollutant, EPA has established
national standards to protect people's health.
What Do the Colors Mean?
The Flag Program uses green, yellow, orange, red
and purple flags.These colors correspond to the Air
Quality Index.
EPA Flag Program Contact
Melissa Payne
US Environmental Protection Agency
Email: payne.melissa@epa.gov
How Will I Know What Color Flag To Use?
On the Flag Program home page (airnow.aov/flaa),
click"Which flag do I fly?"and enter your zipcode.
At airnow.gov, you can sign up to get AQI emails,
download the AirNow app, or install an AQI widget.
I green
Green means air quality is good.
I yellow
Yellow means air quality is
moderate.
I orange
Orange means air quality is
unhealthy for sensitive groups -
people with heart disease or lung
disease such as asthma, children
& teens, people who are active
outdoors, and older adults.
Rpd mpans air quality is unhpalthv.

. Purple means air quality is very
unhealthy.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA-456/F-20-001
February 2020

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