Randy E. MosierRandy E. MosierMaryland Department of the EnvironmentMaryland Department of the Environment

Air Quality 101Air Quality 101

Air Pollution in MarylandAir Pollution in Maryland

Very high ozone levelsVery high ozone levels High fine particulate levelsHigh fine particulate levels Nitrogen deposition to the Nitrogen deposition to the

BayBay Regional hazeRegional haze Air toxicsAir toxics

2005 Ozone Monitoring Network

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PM2.5 Monitoring NetworkPM2.5 Monitoring Networkw/ Annual Design Values (2000-2002)w/ Annual Design Values (2000-2002)

Good News – Ozone LevelsGood News – Ozone Levels

Ground Level OzoneGround Level Ozone– Monitored levels are lower than they have ever beenMonitored levels are lower than they have ever been

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1015202530354045

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Days Exceeding the Standard

What we typically call What we typically call smog is made up of smog is made up of ground level ozone.ground level ozone.

VOCs + NOVOCs + NOxx + +

Sunlight = OzoneSunlight = Ozone

Ground Level OzoneGround Level Ozone

Volatile Organic CompoundsVolatile Organic Compounds

A primary component A primary component of ground level ozone.of ground level ozone.

Formed naturally as Formed naturally as well as from gasoline, well as from gasoline, paint, solvents, paint, solvents, pesticides and pesticides and charcoal lighter fluid.charcoal lighter fluid.

Nitrogen Oxides (NONitrogen Oxides (NOxx))

Light brown gas Light brown gas compound made up of compound made up of nitrogen and oxygen.nitrogen and oxygen.

Sources of NOSources of NOx x include include

motor vehicles, power motor vehicles, power plants burning fossil plants burning fossil fuels and coal-burning fuels and coal-burning stoves.stoves.

Irritates the respiratory Irritates the respiratory system.system.

Good Up High, Bad NearbyGood Up High, Bad Nearby

Ozone in the Ozone in the stratosphere high stratosphere high above the Earth above the Earth protects human health protects human health and the environment, and the environment, but ground level but ground level ozone is a harmful ozone is a harmful pollutant to human pollutant to human health.health.

Health Effects of Ozone PollutionHealth Effects of Ozone Pollution

Ozone interferes with normal Ozone interferes with normal lung functioning, aggravates lung functioning, aggravates respiratory diseases, and respiratory diseases, and causes eye irritation. causes eye irritation.

Most common symptom is Most common symptom is pain from taking a deep pain from taking a deep breath.breath.

Long term exposure to ozone Long term exposure to ozone may lead to premature aging may lead to premature aging of the lungs.of the lungs.

People at Risk from OzonePeople at Risk from Ozone

ElderlyElderly ChildrenChildren Adults who are active Adults who are active

outdoorsoutdoors

People with respiratory People with respiratory diseasesdiseases

Other Effects from Ozone PollutionOther Effects from Ozone Pollution

Ozone causes damage Ozone causes damage to vegetation, degrades to vegetation, degrades water quality and water quality and reduces visibility.reduces visibility.

Ozone damages plant Ozone damages plant life and is responsible life and is responsible for 500 million dollars in for 500 million dollars in reduced crop production reduced crop production in the United States in the United States each year. each year.

Much of the same Much of the same polluting activities that polluting activities that form ozone also form form ozone also form airborne nitrogen airborne nitrogen pollution (NOpollution (NOxx).).

Too much nitrogen is Too much nitrogen is harmful to Bays, lakes harmful to Bays, lakes and rivers.and rivers.

Air Pollution is alsoAir Pollution is alsoBad for our WaterwaysBad for our Waterways

Fine Particulate MatterFine Particulate Matter

Particles are very small objects found in the air, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. 

Our respiratory system filters out larger particles.

Smaller particles get trapped in the lungs, while the smallest are so tiny they pass through the lungs into the blood stream.

Where do Particles Come From?Where do Particles Come From?

Primary ParticlesPrimary Particles– power plants, factories, power plants, factories,

automobile exhaust, automobile exhaust, construction sites, construction sites, unpaved roads, wood unpaved roads, wood burning, agriculture sitesburning, agriculture sites

Secondary ParticlesSecondary Particles– gases from burning fuels gases from burning fuels

react with sunlight and react with sunlight and water vapor and are water vapor and are chemically transformed chemically transformed into particlesinto particles

Health Effects From ParticlesHealth Effects From Particles Particles may trigger or cause Particles may trigger or cause

significant health problems:significant health problems:– coughing and difficult or coughing and difficult or

painful breathingpainful breathing– aggravated asthma, aggravated asthma,

bronchitis, emphysema bronchitis, emphysema – decreased lung function decreased lung function – weakening of the heart, weakening of the heart,

heart attacksheart attacks– premature deathpremature death

Transport PollutionTransport Pollution

Depending on the Depending on the weather, Maryland’s air weather, Maryland’s air pollution can be “home pollution can be “home grown” or significantly grown” or significantly affected by westerly or affected by westerly or southerly transportsoutherly transport

On our worst air On our worst air pollution days all three pollution days all three of these factors play an of these factors play an important roleimportant role

Classic Ozone Weather Classic Ozone Weather in the Mid-Atlanticin the Mid-Atlantic

H

Maryland sees its’ worst air pollution during the summer when a “Bermuda High” system sets up over the Carolinas

Measuring Out of State PollutionMeasuring Out of State Pollution

MDE works in partnership MDE works in partnership with the University of with the University of Maryland – College Park Maryland – College Park to measure and analyze to measure and analyze pollution being pollution being transported into Marylandtransported into Maryland

On our worst days we On our worst days we measure ozone at 110 measure ozone at 110 parts per billion (ppb) parts per billion (ppb) floating into the state from floating into the state from the Westthe West– The 8-hour standard is 85 The 8-hour standard is 85

ppbppb

Protecting Your HealthProtecting Your Health

Pay attention to the air quality forecast Pay attention to the air quality forecast – www.Air-Watch.netwww.Air-Watch.net– Air Quality Hotline: (410) 537-3247Air Quality Hotline: (410) 537-3247– Television and Radio newscastTelevision and Radio newscast– Baltimore Sun and USA TodayBaltimore Sun and USA Today

Limit your time outdoorsLimit your time outdoors– Ozone levels are typically highest between 2:00 Ozone levels are typically highest between 2:00

p.m. and 6:00 p.m.p.m. and 6:00 p.m.– Particle pollution can often be high in the early Particle pollution can often be high in the early

morning hoursmorning hours Lessen your exertion levelLessen your exertion level

20052005Sample Maryland Sample Maryland

Forecast FaxForecast Fax

Daily Air Quality ForecastsDaily Air Quality Forecasts

Local TV StationsLocal TV Stations

Daily Air Quality ForecastsDaily Air Quality Forecasts

AirAlertAirAlert AirAlert lets you know when the air is AirAlert lets you know when the air is

unhealthy at specific monitors near unhealthy at specific monitors near where you work or live. where you work or live.

AirAlert lets you be the first to know AirAlert lets you be the first to know when air quality is reaching unhealthy when air quality is reaching unhealthy levels so you can protect your health levels so you can protect your health or the health of someone you care or the health of someone you care about. about.

We consider it an early warning We consider it an early warning system for your lungs.system for your lungs.

Air Quality HotlineAir Quality Hotline Provides real-time and Provides real-time and

forecasted Air Quality forecasted Air Quality Index informationIndex information

Automated system Automated system directly tied into real-directly tied into real-time air monitorstime air monitors

Meteorologists provide Meteorologists provide daily input of air quality daily input of air quality forecast forecast

410-537-3247410-537-3247

EPA’s Real-Time and Forecast Air EPA’s Real-Time and Forecast Air Quality DataQuality Data

Ozone MapsOzone Maps AQI ForecastsAQI Forecasts

Air Quality Action Days ProgramAir Quality Action Days Program

Notifies the public about poor air quality.Notifies the public about poor air quality. Air quality message communicated daily Air quality message communicated daily

through faxes, emails, air quality hotlines through faxes, emails, air quality hotlines and the media.and the media.

Encourages individuals and organizations to Encourages individuals and organizations to protect their health and take voluntary protect their health and take voluntary actions to help reduce ground level ozoneactions to help reduce ground level ozone

Individual ActionsIndividual Actions Limit driving and refuel cars

after dark Share a ride, telework from

home, or use transit Consolidate trips and errands Avoid using gas-powered lawn

equipment Put off any painting until later Avoid using aerosol products

Clean Air PartnersClean Air Partners

Clean Air Partners is a public-private partnership Clean Air Partners is a public-private partnership chartered by the Metropolitan Washington Council of chartered by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and the Baltimore Metropolitan Governments (COG) and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC).Council (BMC).

The primary objective of Clean Air Partners is to The primary objective of Clean Air Partners is to promote easy and effective voluntary actions that promote easy and effective voluntary actions that individuals can take to reduce production of and individuals can take to reduce production of and exposure to air pollution.exposure to air pollution.

To learn more, visit To learn more, visit www.cleanairpartners.netwww.cleanairpartners.net