{"id":6003,"date":"2022-07-08T16:47:01","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T23:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spokanecleanair.org\/?p=6003"},"modified":"2022-08-05T08:25:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T15:25:22","slug":"the-heat-the-sunshine-its-ozone-season-in-spokane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spokanecleanair.org\/the-heat-the-sunshine-its-ozone-season-in-spokane\/","title":{"rendered":"The heat, the sunshine…it’s ozone season in Spokane."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summer is in full swing and so is the heat. Temperatures have now settled into the seasonal upper 80s and 90s. As the temperature heats up, ground-level ozone pollution tends to increase as well. So what exactly is ozone? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good up high, bad nearby<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ozone can be found in two locations \u2013 in the Earth\u2019s upper atmosphere where it protects us from UV radiation and at ground-level on the Earth\u2019s surface. When ozone is found at ground-level it is a harmful air pollutant that is a key component in smog. Exposure to elevated ground-level ozone pollution can cause respiratory problems and aggravates asthma in children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthy adults can experience a 15-20% reduction in lung function from prolonged exposure to low levels of ground-level ozone pollution.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nothing emits ozone directly to the air, it is formed photochemically<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ground-level ozone pollution is formed by photo-chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight and heat. Because of how it forms, ozone pollution is only a concern during the hot, summer months \u2013 typically late June through August in Spokane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VOCs are emitted to the air from a variety of activities, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n