Air Quality

Both indoor and outdoor air quality can affect your health and day to day lives. Like the weather, outdoor air quality can change from day to day. Indoor air quality is affected both by how and where we live.

Outdoor Air Quality:
Ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in this country.

Ozone, also known as smog, can irritate your respiratory system, causing coughing, irritation in your throat or a burning sensation in your airways. It can reduce lung function, so that you may have feelings of chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter, is composed of microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. When exposed to these small particles, people with heart or lung diseases and older adults are more at risk of hospital and emergency room visits or, in some cases, even death from heart or lung disease. Even if you are healthy, you may experience temporary symptoms from exposure to elevated levels of particles. Symptoms may include: irritation of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing; phlegm; chest tightness; and shortness of breath. Click Here for more information.

Indoor Air Quality:
Studies conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and others show that indoor environments can be worse for your health than outdoor air. Poor indoor air quality increases the health risks for individuals with respiratory impairments, but it affects everyone’s health. Click Here for more information.

You Can Help CLEAR the Air. Take steps to reduce air pollutants and help improve you and your family’s health.