Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged
outdoor exertion.
101
- 150
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Active children and adults, and people with
respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged
outdoor exertion.
151
- 200
Unhealthy
Active children and adults, and people with
respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged
outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should
limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
201
- 300
Very
Unhealthy
Active children and adults, and people with respiratory
disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion;
everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor
exertion.
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What
is Ground-level Ozone? Ground-level ozone is a type
of air pollution that forms on hot sunny days when nitrogen
oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react. Nitrogen
oxides and VOCs come from cars, trucks, smokestacks, and
natural sources like pine trees. In South Carolina, pollution
from motor vehicles accounts for a majority of air pollution.
I thought ozone was
good for us! Ground-level ozone is different from the
Ozone Layer that is 10-35 miles above the earth’s
surface. The Ozone Layer protects us from the sun’s
harmful UV radiation, but at ground-level, ozone can be
harmful to our health and the environment. Simply put, “Ozone
is good up high, but bad nearby.”
How much Ground-level
Ozone is too much? Everyone has some sensitivity to
ground-level ozone. However, children and people with pre-existing
lung disease such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and
asthma are especially sensitive. Exposure to ozone can
cause shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Not
only will reducing ground-level ozone lower health risks
for the people in South Carolina, it will help us avoid
mandated programs such as vehicle emission testing as well
as restriction on economic growth.
What can I do to help? Using
the latest forecasting tools, high ozone days can be predicted.
On days forecasted to have high measurements, you can help
reduce the formation of ground-level ozone by:
Driving Less
Carpool
Shop by phone, mail, or the Internet
Ride public transit where available
Combine your errands into one trip, “trip-chain”
Telecommute
Remember, in South Carolina, a majority
of air pollution comes from cars and trucks. Even though
cars and trucks run ninety percent cleaner today than they
did in 1970, people are driving more miles than ever before,
and this offsets the advantages gained from “cleaner” technology.
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