OZONE HAZARD

Ozone that is located in the atmosphere miles above the earth is considered to be good since it forms a protective layer between the earth and the sun’s ultraviolet rays.  Bad ozone occurs near ground level and is the result of a chemical reaction that takes place between nitrogen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on sunny, humid days.  Ozone is a primary ingredient in urban smog and is a harmful outdoor pollutant.  Inhaled ozone can cause inflammation in the lungs and airways.  Asthmatics may be affected to such a degree that more medication is needed to control asthma symptoms.  Since ozone is primarily an outdoor pollutant, asthmatics may need to limit their outdoor activities whenever ozone levels are high.

P.S.  Daily ozone forecasts and real-time ozone conditions in the United States can be found at airnow.gov as well as on radio and television.

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