DEEP REMINDS RESIDENTS TO BE AWARE OF AIR QUALITY HEALTH EFFECTS

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is encouraging residents to learn about air quality and how it affects health as ozone season kicks off with National Air Quality Awareness Week, which began Monday.

With warmer weather on the way, DEEP reminds everyone that high levels of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter pose health risks to the public, and especially to sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, adults who are active outdoors, and people with existing respiratory disease and asthma.

People in sensitive groups who experience adverse effects even at lower ozone concentrations are likely to experience more serious effects at higher concentrations. When ozone levels are high, they should avoid strenuous outdoor activities and consider remaining indoors in an air-conditioned environment.

In October 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency revised the eight-hour ozone standard from 75 ppb to a more stringent standard of 70 ppb. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to review and re-evaluate the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard every five years and determine if the current ozone standard protects public health from harmful effects of air pollution.

Last summer Connecticut reported 31 “bad air” days above the new standard, DEEP said.

DEEP’s AQI webpage provides information to the public and the affected regulated community regarding the implications of the more stringent 2015 ozone standard. For more information, visit http://bit. ly/2oYLOwI.