Air Quality Programs
Indoor Air Quality Programs
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that forms as a result of the natural decay of uranium underground. This Radon Information Sheet (PDF) explains more. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The only way to know if your home has high radon is to test.
January is National Radon Action Month!
The city of Aspen and Pitkin County are offering free radon test kits for city of Aspen residents during the month of January.
- In person pick up at the Community Development office on the first floor of City Hall (427 Rio Grande Place).
- In person pick up at the Pitkin County Administration building (530 E Main Street, Suite 205).
If your home tests high for radon, it is important to install a mitigation system to reduce your risk of lung cancer. A list of certified mitigation contractors and assistance for low-income households can be found here Version Options Indoor & Outdoor Air Quality Programs Headline.
Radon Mitigation Assistance Programs
On March 1st, 2026, the Environmental Health and Sustainability Department is launching a new grant program to help with the cost of radon mitigation. Qualifying APCHA households with a radon test result in the last two years of 4 pCi/L or higher can apply for assistance starting March 1st, 2026. Stay tuned for more information!
A separate opportunity for support with radon mitigation costs is the APCHA Essential Repair Home Grant. This program assists qualified Category 1 - 5 APCHA homeowners with home repairs that are essential to the health, safety, and longevity of the household and unit. For more information, visit https://www.apcha.org/399/Essential-Repair-Grant-Program.
Once a popular additive in building materials to make them more durable, fireproof, and waterproof, asbestos was later found to cause cancer. Asbestos becomes a health hazard when it is disturbed and fibers are released into the air and inhaled into the lungs. Because asbestos is very dangerous to breathe, state and federal laws apply to every demolition, renovation, and remodel project.
There are two main requirements:
- Have a State Certified Asbestos Inspector to test for asbestos
- If asbestos is found, hire a state certified asbestos abatement company to properly remove it
Find a list of registered Colorado asbestos consulting firms here.
Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes, such as in old paint and plumbing fixtures. The most common way you can get lead in your body is by swallowing lead dust or paint chips containing lead. Children six years old and under are most at risk for health effects, such as behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, and death.
Renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.
Federal law requires that contractors disturbing painted materials in homes built prior to 1978 must be certified in safe lead work practices.
For more information, visit the EPA’s lead website.
For concerns about construction dust, please contact the City of Aspen Engineering Department at cmphelp@aspen.gov or 970-920-5080.
City of Aspen Clean Air Act
To protect the health of workers, residents, and visitors, the city of Aspen is expanding it’s smoke-free ordinance to align with Colorado’s state law, and make rules easier to understand and enforce. Effective July 10, 2025.
Public Places are now vape free!
The use of vapes or e-cigarettes is now banned in all public spaces that previously had a non-smoking requirement including:
- Within 25 feet of any public entrance.
- All places of employment including back offices, retail stores, or anywhere that a member of the public may enter, regarless of hours of operation.
- Indoor public places including all businesses open to the public, regardless of if there is a fee to enter, such as restaurants, bars, retail stops theaters, and public restrooms.
- Outdoor public places when being used for an event such as festivals, markets, and parades.
- Outdoor service or dining areas including restaurant patios, bus stops, info kiosks, and ATMs.
- Designated outdoor areas on city owned property which includes Galena Plaza.
Smoking and vaping are permitted:
- In private residences
- In outdoor areas not mentioned in the ordinance
- In cigar bars established before December 31, 2005.
Why is this being implemented?
- Second hand exposure health concerns
- Aerosol from vaping devices contains nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as lead, and ultratfine particles that can be inhaled by bystanders and harm their health, especially in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas.
- Influence on youth
- Vaping in public can send the message to young people that vaping is safe, normal and acceptable, which may encourage them to startusing nicotine products themselves.
- Environmental and safety risks:
- Laws that create smoke-and-vape-free public spaces help protect children and animals from ingesting toxic tobacco waste, reduce environemntal pollution and clean up costs, and help prevent fires caused by discarded smoking materials.
Outdoor Air Quality Programs
Aspen and Pitkin County regulate the number and type of fireplaces and woodstoves that can be installed in any building.
Building permit applicants must file a fireplace / woodstove registration with the City of Aspen Building Department before the permit is issued.
The device must be on the Colorado Certified Residential Burning Devices or EPA Certified Residential Burning Devices list.
Questions? Contact us at eh@aspen.gov, 970-920-5039
Aspen has ordinances limiting idling and smoking vehicles, which both contribute to air pollution.
It is illegal to idle a vehicle for more than 5 minutes and it is illegal to leave an unattended vehicle running for any amount of time per state law.
Heavy duty diesel vehicles with high smoke levels are an indicator of poor vehicle maintenance and contribute to air pollution.
To report an idling or smoking vehicle within Aspen city limits, contact the Environmental Health and Sustainability Department at 970-920-5039 and provide:
- Company name (if a commercial vehicle)
- Date
- License plate number
- Location
- Time
- Vehicle description
For concerns about an idling or smoking vehicle on a construction site, please contact the City of Aspen Engineering Department at 970-920-5080.
Restaurants that want to add a new char broiler or grill may be required to install a pollution control unit. Please contact us to discuss the requirements for equipment that may apply.
For concerns about construction dust, please contact the City of Aspen Engineering Department at cmphelp@aspen.gov or 970-920-5080.