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This summer, whether commuting to work or heading to the beach, you can take precautions to protect your health and take steps to control the air pollution that tends to increase during warmer weather. The Air Quality Action Program lets you know when air quality will approach or reach unhealthy conditions.
The Ozone Action Days Program began in 1996 to publicize air pollution prevention on days when weather conditions would be conducive to unhealthy air quality. Days forecasted as unhealthy are now known as Air Quality Action Days. The Air Quality Index, uses color codes to describe the air quality, the potential effect on your health, and the actions you can take to minimize your exposure.
Ground-level ozone, Maryland’s worst summertime air pollution problem, is created when a mixture of air pollutants from a variety of sources, such as the fumes from our vehicles, lawnmowers, and boats, or emissions from power plants and industrial facilities, react in sunlight. Ground-level ozone causes respiratory problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with impaired respiratory systems or asthma.
Fine particles from the tiny, solid, or aerosol particles in the air are another cause of respiratory problems, especially in summer. These fine particles are produced by some power plants and large industrial facilities, exhaust from cars, trucks, and gas-powered lawn equipment.
Both ozone and fine particles can travel many miles from their source and combine with locally produced pollution to elevate levels higher. Breathing these pollutants may irritate our lungs, worsen or cause respiratory conditions such as asthma, and has even been linked to premature death.
On Air Quality Action Days, MDE recommends we all take steps such as:
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Limit driving. Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties offer free bus service on Ozone Action Days. Commuters can car-pool, walk, or bike to work.
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Make your home energy efficient to reduce demand on power plants. Click here for more information.
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Postpone mowing the lawn to a day with better air quality.
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Refuel your car after dusk to reduce the chance of VOCs and NOx vapors reacting with sunlight and becoming ground-level ozone.
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Postpone painting to limit VOC exposure to sunlight.
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Avoid the use of aerosol consumer products.
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Limit outdoor physical activity to early morning or after dusk.
Although methods for reducing pollution become more immediately pressing on Air Quality Action Days, taking these steps throughout the year will help meet Maryland’s plan for conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, the more energy efficient we are in our homes and buildings, the more we reduce the fine particles by placing less demand on power plants.
Click here for further information.
Click here to sign up for free air quality alerts.
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