INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued an Air Quality Action Day for Thursday because high ozone levels are forecast for all regions of the state.
Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly, and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors.
Air quality information for all Indiana counties can be found at SmogWatch.IN.gov.
IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by driving less, not refueling vehicles or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m., not idling engines and conserving energy by turning off lights and setting thermostats to 75 degrees or higher.
Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight and hot weather combine with vehicle exhaust, factory emissions, and gasoline vapors, IDEM said. Ozone in the upper atmosphere blocks ultraviolet radiation, but ozone near the ground is a lung irritant that can cause coughing and breathing difficulties for sensitive populations.
