Just nine days into the 2011 ozone forecasting season, and the first "Code Orange" air quality alert has been issued for Monday in metro Atlanta.
In the alert issued Sunday afternoon, the state Environmental Protection Division predicted that Atlanta's air quality on Monday would be "unhealthy for sensitive groups," such as children, people who are sensitive to ozone and people with heart or lung disease.
The EPD recommended that people in those groups “limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are highest.”
Last year, the city’s ozone level had exceeded federal standards twice by this point, on May 5 and 6.
The city’s ozone level exceeded those standards a total of 25 times during the 2010 ozone forecasting season, which runs from May 1 through Sept. 30.
Understanding the codes
A guide to the standard Air Quality Index*:
Green / 0 to 50: Air quality is good. Enjoy the outdoors.
Yellow / 51 to 100: People sensitive to air pollution should consider reducing heavy exertion outside.
Orange / 101 to 150: Children, older adults and people with respiratory problems should cut back on outdoor activities.
Red / 151 to 200: Everyone should restrict outdoor activities.
Purple / 201 to 300: Everyone should avoid outdoor activities.
* The AQI is an index that applies to multiple pollutants, each of those having different measurement numbers and breaking points based on national standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Source: Clean Air Campaign
Tips for high-alert days
The Clean Air Campaign, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Mothers & Others for Clean Air offer some tips for weathering smog.
* Avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially between the hours of 2 and 7 p.m.
* Consider taking MARTA or a carpool. With about half of smog-forming emissions coming from tailpipes, smoggy days are good days to find alternatives to driving solo.
* Know your triggers. Whether or not you have asthma, heavy smog days can cause breathing problems for some people.
* Sign up with the Clean Air Campaign (www.cleanaircampaign.org) to get smog alerts sent to your inbox.
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