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Clean Air Day Celebration

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Departments of Transportation and Health and Human Services recently hosted a clean air event to celebrate “Air Quality Awareness Week” designated by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The Departments highlighted accomplishments the State has made in improving air quality and the connections between clean air, health and alternative modes of transportation like walking and biking.

A variety of organizations, including the Departments, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, Cool Communities and Healthy Maine Walks hosted information tables in Capital Park in Augusta.

While air is cleaner than it was 25 years ago, thanks to State and Federal regulations, Maine still has a long way to go toward “clean air.” Air pollutants of concern in Maine include ozone, particle pollution, air toxics, mercury, acid rain and regional haze. Ozone and particle pollution can pose threats to human health, particularly in children, the elderly, those with lung or heart conditions and those who work or exercise outdoors. Some air pollutants, like mercury, show up in the food chain, and can pose a danger to those who consume certain types of fish. Acid rain can damage our lakes and forests, and regional haze, in addition to threatening health, can obscure the views, limiting vistas in places like Acadia National Park.

The DEP forecasts ozone and particle pollution daily. To see the latest forecast, go to Maine Air Quality Forecast or call the department hotline at 1-800-223-1196.

Ozone air pollution forms when the pollutants nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react in the presence of sunlight. The majority of ozone-forming pollution in Maine comes from motor vehicles.

Weather plays a major role in bad ozone days in Maine. Long sunny days lead to greater ozone formation and winds out of the southwest transport ozone and ozone-forming pollutants to Maine from the New York-Boston I-95 corridor. Because the majority of unhealthy ozone days occur between May and September, this period is called “ozone season.”

Ozone air pollution and particle pollution can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, aggravate asthma and other chronic lung diseases and inflame, damage cells lining the lungs, and increase heart attack risk. Research has linked air pollution to such health effects as respiratory-related hospital emissions, asthma attacks, restricted activity days and acute respiratory symptom days.

According to the American Lung Association, over 100,000 people in Maine suffer from asthma—80,000 adults and 28,000 children. Maine has the highest childhood asthma rate in New England. Asthma is a lung disease whose symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing and tightness in the chest.

Children, the elderly, those who work or exercise actively outdoors, and people with existing respiratory disease are more at risk from ozone air pollution. When air pollution levels are expected to be high, those at greater risk should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

Individuals can take steps to reduce pollution and keep the air clean, including:

• Keep automobiles well tuned and maintained
• Carpool, use mass transit, walk, bike and reduce driving
• Avoid spilling gasoline when filling up cars or lawn equipment
• Fill gas tanks and mow lawns during cooler evening hours
• Make sure tires are properly inflated and wheels aligned
• Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances
• Raise temperature on A/C
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs

Photos by Bob Demkowicz, text from files.

 

 

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