 |
May 1, 2003
CONTACT: Eric Cheung, Policy Analyst
215-567-4004 ext. 237
2003 OZONE SEASON SET
TO BEGIN
Clean Air Council Reminds Citizens, Especially Children,
Elderly, And People With Respiratory Diseases To Regularly
Consult Daily Air Quality Reports And Ozone Forecasts.
Beginning May 1, 2003, Clean Air
Council will once again be offering daily ozone forecasts
for every major metropolitan region in Pennsylvania. These
regions are Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley/Berks County, Susquehanna
Valley, and Pittsburgh and each has its own "Ozone
Action Partnership" to help educate people on the dangers
of high concentrations of ozone. Forecasts will be accessible
from the Council's home webpage: www.cleanair.org. These
forecasts can also be found as part of the weather reports
in some newspapers.
Ozone (smog) is an invisible pollutant,
which is formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) interact under sunlight during
hot temperatures. At high enough concentrations, ozone can
provoke respiratory problems, exacerbate asthma attacks
and disrupt lung development in children. Most of the ozone
being produced in Pennsylvania can be linked to two major
sources: power plants and motor vehicles. The Council, as
the Pennsylvania's largest and oldest advocate for improved
air quality, is working to reduce both types of emissions.
Beginning with the 2003 season, ozone
forecasts will be in line with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) air quality index. A color code system will
provide an easy indication to help the public determine
whether area ozone levels are expected to present a health
problem for a given day. On Green and Yellow days, ozone
is generally within acceptable levels. Orange days are considered
unhealthy for ozone-sensitive populations, including asthmatics,
children and the elderly. Red days mean that ozone is predicted
to rise to unhealthful levels for everyone. When ozone is
at unhealthful levels, individuals are advised to minimize
outdoor activities during the day, particularly those that
require significant physical exertion.
The federal Clean Air Act sets out the
maximum allowable concentration of certain pollutants, like
ozone. If a region actually falls into Code Orange or worse,
it is considered to have exceeded the federal standard for
ozone. The Philadelphia region is classified as being in
"severe" non-attainment of the ozone health standard.
In 2002 alone, the Philadelphia area had 27 days when it
exceeded federal ozone requirements, the Lehigh Valley/Berks
County area had 21, the Susquehanna Valley area had 22 and
the Pittsburgh area had 33.
In addition to providing summer ozone
forecasts to the public, the Council offers year-round air
quality data for the following major air pollutants in the
Philadelphia region: sulfur dioxide, ozone, particulates
and carbon monoxide. This information is provided to AccuWeather
for dissemination to area newspapers and media outlets,
but can be obtained directly from the Council. This service
has been provided for well over 20 years.
"In its 36 years of existence, Clean
Air Council has worked tirelessly to promote the public's
right to breathe clean air," explains Executive Director
Joseph Otis Minott. "One important way to accomplish
this goal is to educate people on what exactly is in their
air. Whether it be statewide summer ozone forecasts or pollutant-specific
air quality reports for the Greater Philadelphia community,
giving information to the public is essential."
The Council receives its ozone forecast information from
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (PA
DEP) and, for the Philadelphia area, the Delaware Valley
Regional Planning Commission. Philadelphia ozone forecasts
will not be available until May 8, 2003. Air quality data
for the Philadelphia region come from PA DEP, New Jersey's
DEP and Philadelphia's Air Management Services.
***
|
|
