Hot weather may cause air pollution issues in Washington

By Camille St. Onge | Air Quality

The warmer-than-usual weather expected in Washington may set conditions for health-harming ozone pollution (smog) in the coming days and throughout the summer.

GEEKY SMOG FACTS

Smog is a harmful pollutant that forms when sunlight interacts with pollution mainly from cars and trucks. 

The pollutants from tail pipes are nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The hot sunlight bakes the pollutants together and forms harmful smog.

When people hear the word ozone they usually think about the ozone layer found high in the upper atmosphere (the stratosphere) that shields us from much of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. However, ozone air pollution at ground level where we breathe it (in the troposphere), causes serious health problems.

IT'S LIKE A SUNBURN ON YOUR LUNGS
Smog aggressively attacks lung tissue and has harmful effects on peoples' health. You might think of it as sunburn on your lungs. Breathing smog can lead to several types of health problems.

Difficulty breathing and lung damage: Because of smog's effect on lung function, it can make it feel difficult to breathe deeply, especially during exercise. Research has shown

that ozone exposure can also damage the lining of your lungs.

Worsening asthma symptoms: If you suffer from asthma, being exposed to high levels of smog can trigger asthma attacks.

Coughing and throat/chest irritation: High levels of ozone can irritate your respiratory system. These types of mild symptoms usually only last for a few hours after you've been exposed to smog. However, ozone can continue to harm your lungs even after symptoms disappear.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE SMOG POLLUTION
There are a number of things we can all do to reduce harmful smog. Since pollution from cars and trucks is the largest source of smog, you might think about how you can drive less. 
Changing habits can be hard. So if you are considering driving less, start with one thing, just once a week:

• Carpool with a coworker.
• Take the bus.
• Work from home.
• Ride your bike to the store or work.
• Walk somewhere.

 WAYS YOU CAN AVOID SMOG EFFECTS

There are things you can to reduce your exposure to smog. Smog levels are generally lower in the morning when the weather is cooler. Plan your outdoor activities, like running or gardening, for morning time.

The Environmental Protection Agency also has an app that provides a smog forecast:

• Download the free AirNow app for iPhone or Android.
• Sign up for AirNow EnviroFlash, a free service that sends air quality info to your e-mail or mobile phone e-mail address. 
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides additional Air Quality Forecast Guidance.

And, you can visit Ecology’s online air quality map to see what levels are like in your area.

Commuter Resources for bus, rail and ride sharing: King County Metro Transit,  Rideshare; Sound Transit, Spoke Regional Transit, Vancouver C-Tran, Whatcom transportation Authority