Sarasota County has issued an air advisory for elevated ozone levels and/or the potential for elevated ozone levels that fall within the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category, per Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national ambient air quality standards for public health.
The elevated levels were detected on Thursday at the Lido Key and Jackson Road air monitoring stations. The air advisory is in effect until dusk Thursday.
Meteorological conditions (abundant sunshine, high temperatures and low relative humidity) resulted in the formation of ozone concentrations corresponding to a slightly higher index than the typical “good” range. Given these factors, staff found that air levels had the potential to approach unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Individuals with respiratory ailments may experience health effects during this air advisory and may want to limit their outdoor activities. The general public is not likely to be affected. Any person with health-related questions should contact their personal healthcare provider.
In 2015, the EPA significantly strengthened its National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone, from the 0.075 parts per million, which was in place since 2008, to 0.070 parts per million. The EPA reviews these standards every five years to determine if revisions are necessary to improve public health and protect plants and sensitive ecosystems.
The Sarasota County Air program has monitored air quality since 1985 and currently reports it to the community through the Air Quality Index, alerting residents of current air quality conditions and pollutants in Sarasota County. With four monitoring stations located throughout the county, data is presented in real-time for levels of ozone and other particulate matter that can impact at-risk residents such as those with asthma or respiratory conditions.
Sarasota County meets all national air quality standards, and the county’s air quality continues to improve as a result of local, state and federal policies.
For more information, dial 311 or visit scgov.net.
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