Protecting
    yourself from
    ozone smog
    pollution
            O pp/v
Summer 1999      R^,-.., > k i ^r,^
US Environmental Protection Agency
Region I, New England
# EPA90VF-99-001

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WHAT IS OZONE?
Ozone is o gas that con be found in the air
we  breathe. It can be both  beneficial or
harmful  depending on its location in the
atmosphere.

WHERE IS OZONE FOUND?
In  the  earth's upper atmosphere,  the
stratosphere, ozone shields the earth from
the sun's ultraviolet rays. In  the earth's
lower  atmosphere,  the troposphere, it is
called ground-level ozone and is a harmful
air  pollutant, the  primary ingredient  of
smog.

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HOW DOES OZONE AFFECT YOUR HEALTH?
                 High   concentrations  of
                 ozone near ground  level
                 con be harmful to people,
                 animals,  crops and other
                 materials.  Ground-level
                 ozone can cause shortness
                 of  breath, chest pains,
                 coughing,   wheezing,
                 headaches, nausea, and
eye and throat irritation. People who suffer
from  lung  diseases such  as emphysema,
bronchitis, pneumonia, or asthma con have
even more trouble breathing when the air is
polluted.
WHO IS MOST AT RISK  FROM  OZONE
POLLUTION?
Four groups  of people  are  particularly
sensitive to ozone: 1) Children who are
active outdoors;
2)   Healthy
adults who exert
themselves
outdoors;   3)
People  with
respiratory

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diseases  such  as  asthma; and 4)
Healthy   people   with   unusual
susceptibility to ozone who experience
more health effects then the overage
person.
During  ozone   alerts,  adults   with
respiratory  problems  should  avoid
outdoor activities. Even healthy adults
can suffer from high ozone levels during
strenuous  outdoor work or recreation.
Children breathe even more  air per
pound of  body  weight than adults,
therefore,
they are more
susceptible to
ozone.
Ozone
aggravates
symptoms  of
asthma   in
children and adults. Children make up
25  percent  of the  population  and
comprise 40  percent of the  asthma
coses.  Fourteen Americans die every
day from asthma.

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         -         HOW   CAN  YOU
    " 'I  I >*/'
                    LEARN MOKE ABOUT
                    OZONE LEVELS?
   I
The US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and state agencies
hove been developing a number of tools to
provide information on local ozone levels,
its potential health effects, and suggested
activities for reducing ozone air pollution.

If you are interested in seeing an ozone
map,  which uses color contours to show
ozone concentrations in your area, you can
access this data at: www.epa.gov/airnow.

In  the New England region, high ozone
levels usually occur between 1:00 p.m. and
7:00 p.m. from May through September. A
daily  ozone forecast for  New England is
available at the  US EPA Region I  web site:
www.epo.gov/region01/oms.

Citizens can sign up at the web address or
call EPA's toll-free Air Quality Hotline  at
1.800.821.1237 to receive smog alerts. Smog
Alert is a free service provided by EPA which
automatically notifies you by e-mail when
high concentrations  of ground-level ozone
are predicted in your area.

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WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE OZONE
LEVELS?
You  con take a  number of steps to help
prevent ozone concentrations from reaching
unhealthy levels:

© Avoid using gasoline powered engines,
such as lawn mowers, chain saws, and leaf
blowers on  unhealthy air days.

© Tune-up  your car, drive less, walk,  ride a
bike,  use   mass
transit or carpool.    /r     j
D
@ Properly  inflate  I  .                  .
your car's tires and
check to make sure the wheels are aligned.
© Do not spill gasoline when filling the tank
of your cor or lawnmower.

© Fill your gas tank during the cooler evening
hours on unhealthy air days.

© Tightly seal the lids of chemicals you use,
such as solvents, garden chemicals, household
cleaners.

© Use less electricity at home and work.

Remember, minor lifestyle changes con result
in major air quality improvements.

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