3/1/2015

AirQualityGuideforOzone

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NationalSummary

AirQualityGuideforOzone
YoumayhaveseentheAirQualityIndexreportedinyournewspaper.Thisguideprovidesyouwithmoredetailedinformationaboutwhatthisindex
meanstoyou.Thisguidewillhelpyoudeterminewaystoprotectyourfamily'shealthwhenozonelevelsreachtheunhealthyrange,andwaysyou
canhelpreduceozoneairpollution.
Airpollutioncanaffectyourhealthandtheenvironment.Thereareactionseveryoneofuscantaketoreduceairpollutionandkeeptheaircleaner,
andprecautionarymeasuresyoucantaketoprotectyourhealth.
VieworprintguideinPDF(2pp.,910KB,aboutPDF)

AirQualityIndex
Good
(050)
Moderate
(51100)

ProtectYourHealth
Nohealthimpactsareexpectedwhenairqualityisinthisrange.

Unusuallysensitivepeopleshouldconsiderlimitingprolongedoutdoor
exertion.
Thefollowinggroupsshouldlimitprolongedoutdoorexertion:

UnhealthyforSensitive
Groups
(101150)

Peoplewithlungdisease,suchasasthma
Childrenandolderadults
Peoplewhoareactiveoutdoors

Thefollowinggroupsshouldavoidprolongedoutdoorexertion:
Unhealthy
(151200)

Peoplewithlungdisease,suchasasthma
Childrenandolderadults
Peoplewhoareactiveoutdoors
Everyoneelseshouldlimitprolongedoutdoorexertion.

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Thefollowinggroupsshouldavoidalloutdoorexertion:
Peoplewithlungdisease,suchasasthma<

VeryUnhealthy
(201300)

Childrenandolderadults
Peoplewhoareactiveoutdoors
Everyoneelseshouldlimitoutdoorexertion.

WhatYouShouldKnowAboutOzoneandYourHealth
Ozoneintheairwebreathecanharmourhealthparticularlyonhot,sunnydayswhenozonecanreachunhealthylevels.
Evenrelativelylowlevelsofozonecancausehealtheffects.
Peoplewithlungdisease,children,olderadults,andpeoplewhoareactiveoutdoorsmaybeparticularlysensitivetoozone.
Ozoneexposuremayalsoincreasetheriskofprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.
Thisfactsheettellsyouhowyoucanfindoutwhenairqualityisunhealthyandtakesimplestepstoprotectyourhealth.

Whatisozone?

Howdoesozoneaffecthealth?

Ozoneisacolorlessgasfoundintheairwebreathe.Ozonecanbe
goodorbaddependingonwhereitoccurs:

Ozonecan:

OzoneoccursnaturallyintheEarthsupperatmosphere(the
stratosphere),whereitshieldstheEarthfromthesuns
ultravioletrays.
Atgroundlevel,ozoneisanairpollutantthatcanharm
humanhealth.

Wheredoesgroundlevelozonecomefrom?
Groundlevelozoneisformedwhentwotypesofpollutantsreactin
thepresenceofsunlight.Thesepollutantsareknownasvolatile
organiccompounds(VOCs)andoxidesofnitrogen.Theyarefound
inemissionsfrom:
Vehiclessuchasautomobiles,trucks,buses,aircraft,and
locomotives
Constructionequipment
Lawnandgardenequipment
Sourcesthatcombustfuel,suchaslargeindustriesand
utilities
Smallindustriessuchasgasstationsandprintshops
http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=pubs.aqiguideozone

Makeitmoredifficulttobreathedeeplyandvigorously.
Causeshortnessofbreathandpainwhentakingadeep
breath.
Causecoughingandsoreorscratchythroat.
Inflameanddamagethelunglining.
Makethelungsmoresusceptibletoinfection.
Aggravatelungdiseasessuchasasthma,emphysema,and
chronicbronchitis.
Increasethefrequencyofasthmaattacks.
Continuetodamagethelungsevenwhenthesymptoms
havedisappeared.
Theseeffectsmayleadtoincreasedschoolabsences,visitsto
doctorsandemergencyrooms,andhospitaladmissions.Research
alsoindicatesthatozoneexposuremayincreasetheriskof
prematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.

Whoissensitivetoozone?
Somepeoplearemoresensitivetoozonethanothers.Sensitive
groupsincludechildrenpeoplewithlungdisease,suchasasthma,
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Consumerproducts,includingsomepaintsandcleaners

Doesmyareahavehighozonelevels?
Ozoneisparticularlylikelytoreachunhealthylevelsonhot
sunnydaysinurbanenvironments.Itisamajorpartofurban
smog.
Ozonecanalsobetransportedlongdistancesbywind.For
thisreason,evenruralareascanexperiencehighozone
levels.
TheAirNowWebsiteatairnow.govprovidesdailyairquality
reportsformanyareas.ThesereportsusetheAirQuality
Index(orAQI)(shownonthefirstpage)totellyouhowclean
orpollutedtheairis.
Enviroflash,afreeservice,canalertyouviaemailwhenyour
localairqualityisaconcern.Signupatwww.enviroflash.info

KeeptheAirCleaner
Conserveenergyhomeatwork,everywhere.Turnofflightsyou
arenotusing.
Carpoolorusepublictransportation.
Whenairqualityishealthy,bikeorwalkinsteadofdriving.
Combineerrandstoreducevehicletrips.
Limitengineidling.
Whenrefueling:Stopwhenthepumpshutsoff.Puttingmore
fuelinisbadfortheenvironmentandcandamageyour
vehicle.Avoidspillingfuel.Alwaystightenyourgascap
securely.
Keepyourcar,boat,andotherenginestunedup.
Inflateyourcarstirestotherecommendedpressure.

emphysema,orchronicbronchitisandolderadults.Evenhealthy
adultswhoareactiveoutdoorscanexperienceozonesharmful
effects.

WhatisanAirQualityActionDayforOzone?
YourStateorlocalairqualityagencymaydeclareanAirQuality
ActionDayforOzonewhenozonelevelsareforecasttoreach
unhealthylevels.Onozoneactiondays,youcantakesimplesteps
(seebelow)toreducethepollutionthatresultsingroundlevel
ozone.

Useenvironmentallysafepaintsandcleaningproducts
wheneverpossible.
Followmanufacturersrecommendationstouseandproperly
sealcleaners,paints,andotherchemicalssosmogforming
chemicalscantevaporate.
OnAirQualityActionDays,youshouldalso:
Refuelcarsandtrucksafterdusk,whenemissionsarelesslikely
toproduceozone.
Delayusinggasolinepoweredlawnandgardenequipmentuntil
airqualityishealthyagain.
Delayusinghousehold,workshop,andgardenchemicalsuntil
airqualityishealthyagain.

USEPAOfficeofAirandRadiation(6301A)
EPA456/F08001
March,2008
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ThispagewaslastupdatedonThursday,July31,2014

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