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Tuesday’s hot weather means unhealthy ozone levels in southwestern Pennsylvania, according to the State Department of Environmental Protection.
The sun and high temperatures in the mid-1990s prompted the agency to organize a Code Orange day of action on air quality for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Outdoor activities are expected to be limited on Tuesday for people with respiratory problems, the elderly and young children as they are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution, department officials said.
Ozone is a gas naturally present in Earth’s atmosphere, but can become unhealthy when it forms near the ground when air pollution has a chemical reaction to sunlight, according to Environmental Protection’s AirNow. Agency. The colorless gas can irritate the airways, reduce lung function, and worsen respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
Others can help reduce air pollution today by driving less, saving electricity, limiting engines to idle and visiting the gas station after dusk, according to the DEP. Several counties near Philadelphia are under the same opinion.
Renatta Signorini is a writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, [email protected] or via Twitter .
