Measure the outdoor air quality

To get an idea of the outdoor air quality in your area, you need to measure it.

You tackle the following challenges:

How do I make my environment more aware of air quality

Pollutants in the air can be measured with sensors or with a sample ('sampling'). Sensors measure continuously. Samplers measure passively and give an average concentration for a certain measurement period.
There are three types of pollutants that you can measure as a citizen: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO ₂ ) and soot (BC).
More information about how to proceed exactly can be found at " Measuring yourself " on the website.
You can use the measurement results to inform the neighborhood and — if necessary — to look for targeted measures that improve the local situation.

There is a wide range of cheap to very expensive sensors to measure air quality. The quality can vary greatly, so it is best to inquire well before you buy them. Be sure to check out the website of the " VAQUUMS " project, where the Flemish Environment Agency, together with two Dutch partners (TNO and RIVM), conducted research into the reliability of NO ₂ and PM sensors.
If you want to quickly get an overview of the current air quality, you can always take a look at this page for Belgium or this page for the Netherlands.