Meet Smokers and Garbage Bins

JLarue · October 30, 2026, 3:54am

I have recently installed an AirGradient One on our second floor to monitor air quality of a newly installed mullok bins x 5 and the next door restaurant just opened up with a bunch of outdoor meet smokers. I had a reading today that I am hoping someone can translate … I hope the image shows well…

Over the last 24 hour(s), the system has 16654 AirGradient sample(s), 139 event marker(s), including 111 candidate servicing event(s). PM2.5 averaged 14.9 ug/m3 and peaked at 576.3 ug/m3, with peak status concern. TVOC peaked at 496.0 index, with status concern. NOx peaked at 2.0 index. 124 event(s) show a possible or clear odour-proxy increase around the event window.

Tai_AirGradient · October 30, 2026, 4:02am

Hi @JLarue, welcome to our community!

Thank you for sharing this. I think the PM2.5 peak is likely caused by smoke. It easily reaches 500+ microgram/cubic meter when exposed to smoke (even a small smoke event, like from a cigarette or an e-cigarette nearby, or maybe from cooking).

Regarding the TVOC, I think I need @Altair_AirGradient to help explain what likely happened.

JLarue · October 30, 2026, 4:10am

Thank you for your prompt reply. Today and at that time I was inside and eyes dry slight sting and coild smell the smoke. I need to understand if this is unhealthy vs annoying.

Tai_AirGradient · October 30, 2026, 4:25am

Hi @JLarue, for TVOC, the graph shows that it has increased compared to the average. The TVOC index here has a range from 1-500. However, to my knowledge, it is tricky to have a definitive answer on whether this specific event is dangerous or not. Because this sensor cannot tell the difference between harmful gas and harmless gas.

You might want to take a look at @Altair_AirGradient 's article if you would like to learn more about TVOC: Explaining VOCs, TVOC and the VOC Index

For PM2.5, I don’t think it is healthy (considering the PM2.5 level and the smoke smell you perceived), but still want to hear what Altair thinks. He should be joining us sometimes soon.

JLarue · October 30, 2026, 4:43am

Why I was concerned, in the limited few weeks of operation, I had never seen that large and pronounced PM2.5 spike. Here is past 7 days, the smokers fire up early morning.

It’s pretty neat … today is Thursday, Monday and Tuesday are typically very slow days. We have the outdoor weather station located directly beside the AirGradient sensor.

This is a few weeks ago (no sensor collection at the time taken from our 3rd floor deck. Smoker and between the smoke house and our home is these bins .which are closest to the sensor … Refuse Containers

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Altair_AirGradient · October 30, 2026, 9:49am

Thanks, @Tai_AirGradient!

I think the article you shared provides a good overview of how to interpret TVOC Index readings, so I’d recommend @JLarue to have a look at it and letting us know if you have any questions.

As Tai correctly explained, the TVOC Index indicates changes in VOC levels relative to the sensor’s baseline. However, it cannot identify or quantify individual VOCs, so it cannot tell us exactly which compounds are present or whether a particular event is harmful. This makes the TVOC Index more useful as an indicator of changes in air quality rather than a direct measurement of health risk. PM2.5, on the other hand, is a quantitative measurement.