OHIO — Air quality alerts popped up across the Buckeye State last year as Canadian wildfire smoke descended.
From wildfire smoke to particle pollution, city skylines blending into white clouds became a very common sight for Ohioans last year. The American Lung Association says air pollution can lead to health risks for everyone, children and adults but the type of risks can vary.
One growing air quality threat is particle pollution, a mixture of solids and liquids from wildfires, biurning wood in wood stoves or residential fireplaces, burning biomass for electricity, diesel, factories, power plants and gasoline powered vehicles and equipment. The fine particles released contain nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.
The particles are categorized into three types: course, fine and ultra fine.
“Coarse particles, called PM10, can include wind-blown dust, ash, pollen and smoke,” the ALA said. “Fine particles, PM2.5, are most often a by-product of burning wood or fossil fuels, and may include components such as toxic compounds, salts and metals. The tiniest are called ultrafine particles, or PM0.1. They are also produced by combustion, and are included in the larger category of PM2.5.”
Risks associated with exposure to particle pollution range from respiratory issues to heart attacks and strokes.
According to ALA, other risks from exposure to air pollution are premature death, susceptibility to infections, strokes, heart attacks, impaired cognitive functions, metabolic disorders and preterm births and low birth weight.
Premature deaths are from respiratory or cardiovascular causes in most cases. According to a 2017 study from ALA, researchers found that older adults faced a higher risk of premature death even when levels of short-term particle pollution remained well below the current national standard regardless if they lived in metro, suburb or rural locations.
The other main air pollution faced across the country is ozone pollution, created when a combination of pollutants, usually nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, “cook” together in sunlight.
Ozone gas, like particle pollution, is a lung irritant which can lead to severe respiratory issues.
“When ozone levels are high, many people experience breathing problems such as chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath, often within hours of exposure,” the ALA said.
The ALA has recommended practices to help reduce air pollution including:
- Checking air quality forecasts
- Limiting exercise outdoors when pollution is high
- Using less energy at home, this helps reduce the amount of air pollution by curbing greenhouse gases
- Walk, bike or carpool to reduce, car emissions
- Use hand powered or electric lawn equipment rather than fuel powered
To check your air quality forecast, click here. For more information on health risks from air pollution, click here.