INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has issued a statewide Air Quality Action Day for Thursday.
Thursday is expected to be warm, dry and sunny with highs in the mid-80’s. IDEM says that “this is consistent with recent conditions, and ozone measurements have been increasing during this period as we have remained in the same air mass for multiple days.”
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As a result, IDEM expects ozone levels throughout Indiana to reach the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range on Thursday. High ozone levels can create unhealthy outdoor air quality.
The agency says that people sensitive to air quality changes might experience health effects, but the general public is less likely to be affected. Sensitive groups are often the first to experience ill health effects like coughing and aggravated asthma. Those considered sensitive include the elderly, young children, and individuals with a heart or lung condition.
IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by making changes to daily habits:
- Drive less: carpool, use public transportation, walk, bike, or work from home when possible.
- Combine errands into one trip.
- Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
- Keep your engine tuned, and don’t let your engine idle (e.g., at a bank or restaurant drive-thru.)
- Conserve energy by turning off lights and setting the thermostat to 75 degrees or above.
Visit the IDEM website to learn more about Air Quality Action Days.
