Release: Knozone Action Day Called for Thursday Due to High Ground-Level Ozone - Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

People in Central Indiana with asthma, COPD, and many other diagnoses should avoid time spent outdoors Thursday, July 27 due to ground-level ozone forecast
 

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability is issuing a Knozone Action Day for sensitive groups (orange on the Air Quality Index, included below) for Thursday, July 27 as significantly high temperatures create conditions for ground-level ozone development, in addition to a continued air mass from Canadian wildfires. Sensitive groups should remain indoors Thursday as much as possible.

Poor air quality impacts public health, and groups with respiratory ailments throughout Central Indiana should avoid time spent outdoors as much as possible, especially active children, the elderly, anyone pregnant, and those with asthma, COPD, emphysema, heart disease, or COVID. This will be the nineteenth Knozone Action Day declared so far in 2023.

To protect residents and local air quality, the Office of Sustainability issues Knozone Action Days when levels of certain pollutants rise above acceptable thresholds. During Knozone Action Days, the air quality may become unhealthy for sensitive individuals due to increased ground-level ozone and/or fine particles -- two of the most common pollutants in the United States.

While the ozone layer high in the atmosphere helps protect us from the sun’s rays, ozone down where we breathe is dangerous for public health. Ground-level ozone is created when a chemical reaction occurs between sunlight and hydrocarbons from emission sources common in urban areas, like gas-powered vehicles and lawn mowers. Fine particulate matter (or PM2.5) refers to microscopic particles in the air, including dust and smoke, that we can inhale into our lungs and cause damage. This can even be caused by wildfires or dust clouds blowing from thousands of miles away.

Air pollutants like ozone and PM2.5 pose a public health and environmental justice issue as they can cause increased hospitalizations, asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and premature death, according to the American Public Health Association. 9.8% of Indianapolis MSA adults live with asthma, and 6.4% of Indianapolis MSA residents live with COPD; meaning more than 15% of the local population is at greater risk for severe symptoms due to poor air quality.

Every day, and especially on Knozone Action Days, residents are encouraged to reduce their contribution to ground-level ozone through these simple actions:

  • Avoid vehicle idling, including when in drive-thru lanes or picking up carry-out

  • Drive less: use active forms of transportation like walking or biking

  • Utilize public transportation or carpool with services such as IndyGo or Commuter Connect

  • Wait to refuel and use gas-powered lawn equipment until temperatures are cooler

  • Combine errands to reduce number of trips

  • Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above

  • Delay use of garden, household, and workshop chemicals until air has returned to healthy levels

Residents can follow @SustainIndy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for reminders about Knozone Action Days and tips on how to increase positive and decrease negative individual impact on our environment.   

For more information on how to help improve Central Indiana’s air quality, visit https://knozone.com/actionday.

Lindsay Trameri