If you want to know how air pollution is affecting people in southern New Hampshire, it helps to know the quality of the air where we live and work, rather than atop a mountain.

That’s the idea behind a new air monitoring station in Londonderry, part of a national system but the first in New England to be located in a suburb area rather than out in the wilds, such as the long-running station on Pack Monadnock, or in a city like Boston.

“This one was selected as being representative of population exposure in the wide area suburbia in the southern part of the state. It’s not in the middle of a city, not next to a factory, not next to a highway,” said Jeff Underhill, chief scientists in the air resources division of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

“Years ago, we focused on finding where are the worst possible locations. The idea was let’s get those measurements, find the extremes,” said Underhill. “Now we’re trying to focus on what people are really breathing.”

The station, which cost about $300,000 to build, monitors a number of pollutants including ozone, small particles of the sort released by wood-burning stoves, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and lead. It’s located next to the Moose Hill School, not far from routes 102 and 128, which gives it an educational component as well. The building was designed with windows to provide a good view of the equipment so that classes can be given tours, said Underhill.

via Pollution monitoring in Londonderry takes a look at the air where we live – NashuaTelegraph.com.