Detroit is experiencing dangerously high ozone levels, which can irritate the lungs and lead to serious medical conditions like asthma attacks. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently issued an air quality alert, warning of high levels of ground-level ozone in several counties in Southeast and West Michigan.

Air Quality Concerns

The state encouraged residents to drive less and avoid refueling vehicles, using charcoal lighter fluid, or using gas-powered lawn equipment to minimize the immediate health risks of high ozone levels. However, these actions may not address the larger footprint generated by transportation and industrial sources, which contribute to the long-term health impacts of chronic exposure to ozone pollution.

For the last decade, ozone concentrations recorded at Detroit’s East Seven Mile air quality monitoring station have consistently exceeded the EPA’s health-based standard of 70 parts per billion. Asthma hospitalizations on the east side of Detroit are nearly 10 times higher than the rest of the state and continue to rise.

As nurses, we can attest that ozone pollution has lasting, lifelong health consequences, especially for infants and children. Children’s lungs are not fully developed at birth, so chronic exposure to air pollution can stunt airway growth, leading to smaller lungs and reduced lung function.

EGLE’s efforts to improve air quality must focus on pollution sources that can be controlled, such as transportation and industrial emissions. The state should take decisive action to reduce emissions from these sources, rather than relying on regulatory maneuvers that mask the problem.

Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.