COLUMBUS – The air in central Ohio is getting better, with fewer warnings for people with breathing problems issued during the warm months of 2015.
Air quality in the Columbus region during the 2015 summer season was slightly better than during the previous two, despite temperatures being warmer than normal, according to a report issued Tuesday for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
From April through October, MORPC issued only two Air Quality Alerts, on May 8 and July 29, pollution levels were forecast to rise to unhealthy for sensitive people such as children, the elderly, and persons with asthma and other breathing disorders, according to the End of Season report conducted for MORPC by Sonoma Technology, Inc.
“Lower levels of ozone pollution despite warmer temperatures during the 2015 ozone season points to decreased emissions levels in the region,” MORPC Air Quality Program Supervisor Evelyn Ebert said. “This means that federal programs designed to address emissions, as well as local efforts by our air quality partners in the region, are working.”
MORPC issues daily air quality forecasts and notifies the public when ozone and particle pollution levels are considered to be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Ground-level ozone levels peak when warm temperatures and sunlight, mixed with pollutants, enhance the formation of ozone, triggering unhealthy levels of air pollution.
Recent data indicates the overall air quality in Columbus is higher than recommended levels. In October, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground-level ozone from an eight-hour average reading of 75 parts per billion to 70 ppb. Recent preliminary data for the last three years shows central Ohio’s air registering a level of 71 ppb, which Ebert says is an improvement.