The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Department of Health on June 30 issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for ozone covering the New York City Metro and Long Island regions, in effect on July 1 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to a press release from the DEC Press Office.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton and DOH Commissioner Dr. James McDonald signed off on the advisory. The agencies issue these advisories when DEC meteorologists predict air pollution will exceed an Air Quality Index value of 100, considered a health concern. The AQI is a scale that compares pollution levels across different pollutants.
The advisory covered two regions: the NYC Metro area, which includes New York City and Rockland and Westchester counties, and Long Island, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties.
People with respiratory disease, including asthma, as well as young children, the elderly, those who exercise outdoors, and workers doing vigorous physical labor outside should consider limiting strenuous activity when ozone is highest, generally afternoon through early evening, the press release states. Going indoors generally reduces exposure. Anyone who develops shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing should consider contacting a doctor, the agencies said.
Ground-level ozone is not directly emitted into the air. It forms when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from automobile exhaust and industrial emissions, a process that accelerates in heat. The DEC noted it should not be confused with the protective ozone layer in the upper atmosphere. High AQI due to ozone is not as visible as PM2.5 because ozone is a colorless gas, but it will produce hazy skies and reduce visibility in high concentrations.
Automobile exhaust accounts for about 60 percent of air pollution in New York’s cities, according to the press release. Out-of-state emission sources are also a primary contributor to ozone problems in the Northeast, the DEC said.
The agencies recommended using mass transit or carpooling, combining necessary driving trips to reduce total exhaust, and running energy-heavy appliances such as dishwashers and dryers after 7 p.m. to reduce peak electricity demand. Ozone levels generally decrease overnight.
DEC operates a toll-free air quality hotline at 1-800-535-1345 for updates on air quality conditions.
Featured image: Bushwick Daily archive
