ALBANY – The State Health and Environmental Conservation departments have issued an air quality advisory for ozone for Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Ulster and Sullivan counties.
The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today (Thursday).
Advisories are issued when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index value of 100.
Auto exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary causes of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast, state officials said.
This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere, they said.
Health officials said people, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease such as asthma, should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest, generally afternoon to early evening.
When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, officials said going indoors will usually reduce your exposure.
Individuals experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider calling their doctor, health officials advised.
