Purple Air monitors are a critical tool in the fight against disproportional pollution levels in the Capital Region. Barbara Heinzen has one of the discreet, palm-sized devices installed at her home. Data collected by these free monitors capture micro-sized particulate matter and register that data in real-time to a public website.
In April, 2026, Troy’s Air Justice Lab gathered a panel of local activists to describe their efforts to monitor air pollution levels in their towns. These areas are throughout the Capital Region, all negatively impacted by heavy diesel truck traffic and expanding industrial development. They include the South End of Albany near the Answers Steam Plant, Cohoes near Norlite, Coeymans near Amrize (formerly known as Lafarge/Holcim) and Rensselaer near the Dunn Landfill. The DEC calls these areas environmental justice zones; the Air Justice Lab more aptly call them Sacrifice Zones because the respiratory health of residents is sacrificed for the profits of polluting companies. This video has been shortened to include details provided by Barbara’s powerpoint presentation. The full recording can be found online at the Media Sanctuary website.
