Air Quality Improves in NE Ohio

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Topics: Environment, Politics, Health
Download  RSS  Short URL  Share

The cool summer and slow economy are being credited for a dramatic reduction in ozone pollution this year. Ideastream®'s Bill Rice reports.

{This past summer the number of days ground-level ozone exceeded the federal standard was near rock bottom:  only 3 the entire summer, compared with 12 last summer and 31 in 2002, which was exceptionally hot.  Ozone, the primary component of smog - is produced when Nitrogen oxides from combustion and fumes from volatile materials like gasoline meet hot, sunny weather.  Cooler days equal less ozone, and this summer was exceptionally cool.  On top of that, the poor economy may have played a role in keeping pollution at bay, says Amy Wainwright of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, which tracks pollution in the region. 

Wainwright:  “Motor vehicle emission are less, people drive less, the truckers are moving less freight, the two railroads that cross Northeast Ohio are moving less freight, and I think it absolutely had a big impact on air quality.  It’s sad to say that the economy took a downturn, but pollution took a downturn along with it.”

The economy might even better account this year for lower particulate pollution this year - soot from diesel engines, power plants and other industrial sources - which occurs regardless of temperature. 

For years, Northeast Ohio has struggled and failed to meet federal pollution standards.  It almost succeeded last summer for ozone - but just as it became evident that the summer readings would put the region into compliance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightened the standard.