NHDES Declares Air Quality Action Day

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is expecting air pollution concentrations to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive individuals in Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties on Monday, June 7. NHDES officials are calling for an Air Quality Action Day and advise sensitive individuals in these areas to take precautions to protect their health by limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. Sensitive individuals include children and older adults; anyone with lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis; and people who are active outdoors. Even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should consider limiting strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities.

NHDES forecasts ground-level ozone (the main component of smog) to rise to levels that are unhealthy for sensitive individuals in the above-mentioned regions. Additionally, moderate levels of fine particle pollution are expected statewide during this period. The predicted air pollution comes from winds transporting pollutant emissions into New Hampshire from surrounding areas, which combine with local emissions. High temperatures and sunny skies then enhance the creation of ozone. Air quality is expected to improve on Tuesday as cloudier skies move into the area and help inhibit the formation of ozone.

Symptoms of ozone exposure include coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain when inhaling deeply, and shortness of breath. The severity of the health effects increases as ozone concentrations increase.

For further information, call NHDES at (603) 271-1370. For air quality forecasts and current air pollution levels in New Hampshire, call 1-800-935-SMOG or visit the NHDES website at www.airquality.nh.gov.