In May 2008 the American Lung Association came out with its report: State of the Air 2007. This article is a summary from the ALA website. Thirty-four Ohio Counties were rated with grade C or below. Franklin County received an F in both ozone and particle pollution. The county had 16 high ozone days in 2007.

Ozone (O3), or smog, is formed most often by a reaction of sunlight and vapors emitted when fuel is burned by cars and trucks, factories, power plants and other sources. Ozone reacts chemically (oxidizes) with internal body tissues. It especially irritates the respiratory tract. Smog can cause health problems the day you breathe it, or after long-term exposure. It’s particularly dangerous for people with asthma and other chronic lung diseases, senior citizens, children and teens. There are 276,000 under age 18 and 107,000 age 65+ in Franklin County. Smog can cause asthma attacks, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling deeply, and premature death. Breathing high levels of smog over the long term may lead to inflamed lung tissue and reduced lung function.

Particle pollution, or soot, is the most dangerous and deadly of the widespread outdoor air pollutants. It’s too small to really see, but you can see the haze it creates when sunlight hits it. The particles can include ash, diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals, and aerosols.

The body’s natural defenses help to cough or sneeze larger particles out of our bodies. But those defenses don’t keep out smaller particles, and they get lodged deep in the lungs, where they stay and can cause major damage. Some are so tiny they can pass through the lungs into the blood.

Deaths can occur on the very day that particle levels are high, or within 1-2 months afterward.  Breathing particle pollution year-round can shorten life by 1-3 years. It causes many other health effects—from premature births to serious respiratory disorders, even when the particle levels are very low. It worsens asthma and causes wheezing, coughing and respiratory irritation in anyone with sensitive airways. It also triggers heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeat, and premature death.

Help fight air pollution by walking or biking and otherwise cutting down on driving. Use a “reel” push lawnmower instead of a motorized mower. Two-cycle engines (the ones where you mix oil with the gas) are notoriously polluting and inefficient. A scavenging effect allows up to 30 percent of the unburned fuel/oil mixture into the exhaust. If you have a lawnmower or motorbike of this type, consider a replacement.

Let local government officials and Ohio EPA know our concerns and ask them to act.