Ozone Pollution: What Does it Mean to Me?

The effects of ground-level ozone on your health are as varied as they are hazardous. Exposure to ozone pollution often results in irritation of the respiratory system and reduced lung function, causing breathing difficulty and/or discomfort, headaches, fatigue, coughing, eye and throat irritation, and chest pain. Ground-level ozone may aggravate asthma and other chronic lung diseases. Ozone pollution may also reduce the immune system's ability to fight off bacterial infections in the respiratory system, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Finally, prolonged exposure to ground-level ozone, even at low levels, may cause permanent lung damage including the scarring of lung tissue, lower resistance to respiratory diseases, and reduced lung function by up to 20%.

Landscaping around your home is a good way to clean the air.  By reducing or eliminating the area you need to mow, you reduce or eliminate using gasoline powered machines to care for your property.

Certain groups of people are particularly sensitive to ground-level ozone exposure. Children are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of ozone pollution since their lungs are still developing, they are more active outdoors, and they breathe more rapidly, inhaling more air pollution per pound of body weight than do adults. People with asthma or other respiratory diseases are also more vulnerable to the effects of ozone and will generally experience them earlier and at lower levels than less sensitive individuals. Ozone exposure creates higher sensitivity to allergens, which are the most common trigger for asthma attacks. Additionally, asthmatics are more severely affected by the reduced lung function and respiratory system irritation caused by ozone. As a result, they often experience attacks that require a doctor's attention or the use of additional medication when ozone concentrations are high. Finally, active adults of all ages who perform consistent, strenuous outdoor activity, such as work or exercise, are more susceptible to ozone exposure and its health risks than people who are less active outdoors.

In general, as ground-level ozone concentrations increase, more people experience its dangerous effects. Even healthy people can sometimes be unusually susceptible to ozone exposure. It's also wise to note that lung damage from ozone pollution can occur even without noticeable symptoms. The best way to protect your health from ground-level ozone is to take simple precautions to minimize your exposure to it, particularly on Air Quality Action Days. On these days when ozone levels are dangerously high, everyone should be concerned about their health.