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Ozone and health

Federal law directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop its pollution control regulations based on health-impact studies. Regulations on ozone are no different, although purists insist that the acceptable level of ozone should be zero because research suggests there are negative health impacts at even the smallest levels.

According to the EPA, people with lung disease, children, older adults and people who are active tend to be harmed most by high ozone pollution. Health impacts can include airway irritation, coughing, and pain when taking a deep breath; wheezing and breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities; inflammation, aggravation of asthma and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis; and permanent lung damage with repeated exposures.

For more information about ozone, see the websites:

For Tri-County Health: http://www.tricountyhealth.com/AirQuality.html

From the Utah Department of Environmental Quality: http://www.deq.utah.gov/locations/uintahbasin/index.htm

Also, Breathe Utah has a step-by-step guide on creating an air pollution action plan: http://www.breatheutah.org/emergency-plan