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What do These Maps Show?

What do These Maps Show?. To find out more click here. Good. Moderate. Unhealthy for sensitive groups. Unhealthy. Very Unhealthy. Air Pollution. The maps you just saw show ozone smog levels on two days last summer. This map shows the highest ozone levels recorded in 2001.

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What do These Maps Show?

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  1. What do These Maps Show? To find out more click here

  2. Good Moderate Unhealthy for sensitive groups Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Air Pollution • The maps you just saw show ozone smog levels on two days last summer. • This map shows the highest ozone levels recorded in 2001.

  3. Where Did Acadia Go? Keep clicking….

  4. Air Pollution Reduces Visibility Acadia National Park A Clear Day vs A Hazy Day • To learn more about ozone and fine particles, click the arrow in the corner.

  5. Air Pollution: • Has many effects on public health and the environment. • Comes in different forms and from many sources. • Ozone and Particulate matter are two types of Air Pollution that affect Maine.

  6. What is Ozone? • An odorless, colorless gas composed of three oxygen atoms. • Ozone in the upper atmosphere protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. • At ground-level in the air we breathe, ozone (smog) poses serious risks to human health.

  7. O3 = + Where Does Ozone Come From? Ozone is created by a chemical reaction: VOC + NOx + Heat + Sunlight = Ozone VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) come from motor vehicles, power plants, industrial facilities, and other sources.

  8. Why is Ozone Bad to Breathe? • The average adult breathes enough air to fill over 3,000 balloons each day. Children breathe even more! • Ozone can irritate lungs and airways, and cause inflammation much like a sunburn on your lungs. • Ozone can aggravate respiratory illnesses like asthma. • 10 to 20% of summertime respiratory-related hospital visits in the Northeast are associated with ozone pollution. • Children and people with chronic lung diseases are particularly at risk.

  9. Health Effects of Exposure to Ozone • Coughing • Nose and throat irritation • Chest pain • Reduced lung function • Increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses • Aggravation of asthma

  10. Air Quality Index (AQI) Values Levels of Health Concern 0 to 50 Good 51 to 100 Moderate Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 to 150 151 to 200 Unhealthy 201 to 300 Very Unhealthy Hazardous 301 to 500 The Air Quality Index

  11. Hot temperatures… Sunny skies… Southwest winds… Unhealthy ozone levels What Makes a Bad Ozone Day in New England?

  12. Kennebunkport Cape Elizabeth Port Clyde Acadia National Park Ozone Trends in Maine

  13. Smog Alert Notification Areas Interior CT Coastal CT Rhode Island Southeastern MA Central & Northeastern MA Western MA Southern NH Coastal ME Smog Alert Service • Notifies you by e‑mail or fax when ozone levels are predicted to be unhealthy in your area. • Is available in most areas in New England. • Is a free service. • To receive Smog Alerts, register at (www.epa.gov/region01/oms) • Or contact Maine DEP’s • Ozone Hotline at 1-800-223-1196 or • www.state.me.us/dep/air/ozone/ozone.htm

  14. What is Particulate Matter? • particles of different substances suspended in the air • in the form of solid particles and liquid droplets • particles vary widely in size

  15. Where does Pm come from? • Fine particles come from a variety of sources: • diesel trucks and buses • construction equipment • power plants • woodstoves • wildfires • Also, Chemical reactions in the atmosphere • can transform gases into fine particles.

  16. Cross section of a human hair (magnified to 60 mm) Coarse Particles (10 mm) Fine Particles (2.5 mm) How Fine is Fine? • Fine particles are only a fraction of the size of a human hair.

  17. Why are Fine ParticlesBad to Breathe? • Scientific studies have linked fine particles with a series of significant health problems. • Fine particles easily reach the deepest parts of the lungs. • Particulate matter causes 15,000 premature deaths every year in the US. • Fine particles from Diesel exhaust can cause lung cancer.

  18. Health Effects of Exposure to Fine Particles • Premature death • Aggravated asthma • Respiratory-related emergency room visits and hospital admissions • Acute respiratory symptoms • Chronic bronchitis • Decreased lung function (shortness of breath) • People with existing heart and lung disease, as well as the elderly and children, are particularly at risk

  19. What Can You Do? Reduce vehicle emissions: • Drive less • Keep cars well maintained and tires properly inflated • Turn off the engine when your vehicle is not in motion • Purchase low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles • Share a ride, take public transportation bike, or walk • Cut your grass after 6 p.m. • Refuel your car after 6 p.m. • Combine errands into one trip ?

  20. What Can You Do? Conserve electricity: • do not over-cool or over-heat buildings • turn off lights and appliances when not in use • Purchase electronics/appliances with energy star labels To protect your health, avoid strenuous outdoor activities when ozone levels are high

  21. This presentation was made possible by: The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (www.state.me.us/dep) The United States Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)

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