In addition to the steps below during an ozone-smog
alert you might want to use conventional gasoline
instead of gasahol which contributes to ozone-smog
levels.

Charlie Winterwood M.D.

--- Jane Clark <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
>
> June 27, 2002
>
> AIR QUALITY IMPROVES AFTER OZONE SMOG HITS EAST AND
> WEST IOWA
>
> DES MOINES - Good to moderate air quality returned
> to Iowa as ozone smog hit
> extreme sides of the state this week.
>
> Harrison county and adjacent areas in extreme
> western Iowa experienced an
> Air Quality Index of 104 on Tuesday for ozone smog,
> a level considered
> unhealthy for sensitive groups engaged in prolonged
> outdoor exertion. The
> Scott and Clinton county area hit 124 on Sunday and
> 100 on Monday.
>
> "We should see the AQI in the 40s to low 50s across
> the state today, levels
> in the green, or good category," said Brian Button,
> DNR air information
> specialist. No health effects are associated with
> air quality in this range.
>
> Ozone smog forms when emissions from vehicles,
> utilities and boilers and
> fumes from paints, gasoline and chemicals "cook" or
> react in sunlight and
> warm temperatures to form ground-level ozone, a
> colorless gas capable of
> irritating lung tissue.
>
> Levels 101 and higher are considered unhealthy for
> sensitive groups such as
> asthmatics under the national Air Quality Index
> (AQI), which reports
> pollution levels using a color-coded and numerical
> range for pollutants. The
> higher the AQI, the poorer the air quality.
>
> An AQI of 1 to 50 is green or good; 51 to 100 is
> yellow or moderate; 101 to
> 150 is orange or unhealthy for sensitive groups; 151
> to 200 is red,
> unhealthy for everyone. Rarely used in the nation
> are purple for very
> unhealthy (201 to 300) and maroon for hazardous (301
> to 500.)
>
> In Iowa, the overwhelming majority of days fall into
> the good to moderate
> categories and all of Iowa currently meets federal
> outdoor health standards,
> although extreme eastern Iowa is pushing the
> standards.
>
> In many U.S. communities, AQI values are mostly
> below 100, with values
> greater than 100 occurring several times a year.
> Several metropolitan areas
> in the United States have more severe air pollution
> problems, and the AQI in
> these areas may often exceed 100. AQI values higher
> than 200 are infrequent
> and AQI values above 300 are extremely rare.
>
> Iowans can check air pollution levels at
> www.iowacleanair.com. "This website
> allows Iowans prone to breathing difficulty to check
> air quality and see if
> they should be exercising out-of-doors or doing
> prolonged, heavy work
> outside," said Button. "Air in the orange category
> is potentially unhealthy
> for some individuals."
>
> For more information, contact Brian Button at (515)
> 281-7832, or by e-mail
> at [log in to unmask]
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Earlier in the week, the DNR asked area residents to
> consider simple
> voluntary actions to avoid the heat while preventing
> pollution. To give
> sunlight less time to react with emissions and
> smog-forming fumes, citizens
> can:
>
> * Postpone lawn mowing, oil-based painting and auto
> refueling until late in
> the day or evening,
>
> * Postpone unnecessary driving until evening or
> consolidate errands to use
> the car when pollution controls are warmed
>
> * Avoid or postpone use of heavy-emitting two-stroke
> engines such as
> gas-powered mowers, weed trimmers and chain saws
> until evening.
>
> * To prevent particulate matter, avoid burning
> trash, debris and wastes.
>
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