Ozone Action Day Issued For Austin Region

AUSTIN, TX — Environmental regulators have issued a so-called "ozone action day" for the Austin area on Wednesday, an advisory alerting to the gas reaching levels of health concern.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued the alert on Tuesday, including Dallas, Houston and San Antonio in its alert. Ozone Action Days are hot, dry, sunny days when ground-level ozone is forecast to reach levels of health concern, according to the Public Citizen website.

Ground-level ozone (as distinct from the “ozone layer” of our atmosphere that protects us from the harmful rays of the sun) is one of six pollutants that are regulated by the Clean Air Act, according to the website. These six common air pollutants are:

• Particle Pollution (particulate matter or PM).
• Ground-level ozone.
• Carbon monoxide.
• Sulfur oxides.
• Nitrogen oxides.
• Lead.

The EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to notify the public about local air quality. Certain groups of people are especially vulnerable to air pollution including children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, officials said. When the AQI reaches levels of ozone pollution that are unhealthy for these sensitive groups, an “Ozone Action Day” is designated, according to the website.

In plain English, this means one should take steps to limit exposure to air pollution and personal contribution of pollutants. Such ozone forecast seasons are based on when each region is likely to experience elevated ozone concentrations, officials explained. In Austin, for example, there is an ozone season between March 1 to November 30.

Areas such as Houston, on the other hand, can have ozone days at any time throughout the year. Each forecast predicts whether ozone levels in the area are expected to reach or exceed the EPA’s AQI Level Orange (or a level that is “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”), according to regulators.

Residents interested in being apprised of ozone alert days can receive them via the TCEQ or EPA.