Even carbon monoxide, which was responsbile for unhealthful air quality on 44 days as recently as 1984, has declined significantly in recent years and did not reach unhealthful levels in 1998. The 1-hour health standard for ozone was exceeded on only 4 days in 1998 which was the fewest ever recorded. Sampling data is not yet available for the new particulate standard, however, it is estimated that most of the state would exceed that standard. New Jersey's two most pervasive air quality problems and more measures need to be taken to ensure that those health standards are attained in future years. Pollutants other than the six criteria pollutants, and parameters such as meteorology and acid precipitation are also routinely monitored by the department.
Acid precipitation remains a persistent environmental problem in New Jersey.
The acidity of precipitation measured in New Jersey has improved since 1994 as a result of implementation of the first phase of acid rain controls required by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Summaries of the acid precipitation data as well as all other pollutant and weather data collected by the department are also contained in this report. Thus they may not appear consistent with direct comparisons of the 1998 data to the air quality standards. Annual Quality Assurance Report - 1998 2. The above supplementary information is available for public inspection.