An air quality alert has been issued for Long Island, the New York City metro area, Westchester and Rockland counties today from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Levels of the pollutant ground-level ozone are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups Thursday, with the air quality index for ozone forecast to hit 115 on Long Island and 110 in the NYC metro area.
The state departments of environmental conservation and health have issued an air quality health advisory.
The health department recommends that people in the posted areas consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.
Young children, people who exercise outdoors, people involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening.) When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor.
The federal environmental protection agency warns that elevated ground-level ozone can cause: irritation of the airway, coughing and pain when taking a deep breath; wheezing and breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities; inflammation, which is much like a sunburn on the skin; aggravation of asthma and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis; and permanent lung damage with repeated exposures.
Ground level ozone is produced by by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight, according to EPA.gov. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOC.
For more information about ozone and its impacts on health, visit the AirNow website.
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