Ozone and asthma
Although ozone cannot be seen or tasted, it can irritate lungs and make breathing difficult. The urban haze that we call smog contains pollutants that react to form ozone.
Ozone pollution is of particular concern to people with asthma and other respiratory problems because when it is breathed into the lungs, ozone reacts with lung tissue. It can harm breathing passages, making it more difficult for the lungs to work. It also can cause eye and throat irritation and cause a greater susceptibility to infection.
Ozone health facts
• There is an association between ozone levels in the outdoor air and increased hospital admissions for respiratory problems, such as asthma.
• Ozone air pollution has been associated with as much as 10% to 20% of all summertime respiratory hospital visits and admissions.
• Children with respiratory problems are at greatest risk because of greater exposure to the outdoors during the summer months.
What can I do to protect myself and my children from ozone pollution?
State agencies will use television and radio to notify citizens of ozone alerts. On these
Ozone Action Days:
• Asthmatics and other sensitive individuals should not exercise and should stay indoors in an air conditioned or well-ventilated area.
• If you experience symptoms such as tightness in the chest, coughing, or wheezing, see your doctor immediately.
Ozone Action Days will be called when weather forecasters predict days that are conducive to ozone formation. The area's industries and individual residents will be asked to voluntarily reduce emissions that cause ozone pollution.
We hear a lot about depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. This kind of ozone protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Stratospheric ozone is good, but ground-level ozone is harmful. When people think of ground-level ozone, they usually picture a thick layer of smog over Los Angeles. They don't usually think of a Midwest summer day - hazy blue sky, sunny and hot.
But people who live in the cities along the southern and western shores of Lake Michigan are affected by ozone air pollution. Ozone also affects outlying suburbs and rural areas.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
