Our air affects our health and well-being. Oregon is known for being “green.” But Multnomah County residents are at higher risk of cancer from air pollution than anywhere in the state.
Winter wood smoke and summer wildfires make air pollution from traffic and other sources even worse.
Sources of Air Pollution
Leading air pollutants in Multnomah County:
- Wood smoke
- Ozone
- Wildfire smoke
- Diesel
Who Is Most at Risk
Those most at risk for health effects from breathing air pollutants include:
- Children
- Pregnant people
- Older adults
- People with asthma
- People who are active outdoors, especially outdoor workers
Have You Seen Our Air Quality Monitors?
The Health Department is piloting the use of air quality monitors in south Portland. The monitors will measure particulate matter. They may help us to better understand the quality of air people breathe nearby.
We’re working with the City of Portland’s Bureau of Transportation to install monitors starting on February 18, 2026. Data collection will begin shortly after they're installed.
Our air quality monitors have solar panels and County identification. You might see them on streetlight poles in these locations:
- East side of S Moody St, north of S Bancroft St (near the REACH building parking garage access)
- Southeast corner of S Moody and Bancroft Sts (near the old school play area)
These monitors will be making a test run for at least 30 days. We want to see how well they work at detecting various airborne substances.
These monitors won’t be able to pinpoint the chemical sources of pollution on their own. But we can compare this data with regional data to make more accurate conclusions about where pollutants come from and how long they last.
Depending on particle size, wind patterns and chemical composition, the sensors may or may not be able to capture data from specialized aerosols, such as tear gas.
Our long-term goal is to make this data available to the community. The Health Department will first test the findings for accuracy before releasing them to the public.