EPA Issues Press Release On Reducing Asthma Attacks During Summer

Image via WikipediaThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that hot weather can cause ozone levels to rise, making the air unhealthy to breathe, especially for people with asthma or other respiratory ailments.  Throughout the hot summer months, it’s important to pay close attention to the air quality. Like the weather, air quality can change from day to day or even hour to hour, and can have a serious affect on people’s health.

The Air Quality Index uses a color-coded system to display whether the five major air pollutants exceed air quality standards for the day.  When the Air Quality Index reports unhealthy levels, people, particularly asthmatics and others with respiratory ailments, should limit strenuous outdoor activities.

During the summer when ozone levels rise, the number of people with asthma related symptoms admitted to hospitals and emergency rooms increases.   Asthma rates – especially among children – have increased dramatically.  Asthma affects 25 million people in the United States, including seven million children.  That’s 8 percent of the population.  One out of every 10 school-aged children is affected. In addition to talking with health care providers, these steps can help prevent an asthma episode:

• Play it safe. Ground-level ozone and particle pollution can make an asthma episode even worse. Look for the Air Quality Index (AQI) during the local weather report or go to EPA’s website http://www.airnow.gov
• Don’t smoke in the home.  Take it outside.  One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is second- hand smoke.  Take the EPA ‘smoke-free home’ pledge: http://www.epa.gov/smokefree
• Break the mold.  Mold is another asthma trigger.  The key to controlling mold is controlling moisture.  Wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and remove mold.  Remove, and if possible replace, moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.  For more see EPA’s website: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/molds.html

For information on EPA’s regional asthma program and other asthma triggers please see: http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm

To hear an audio podcast about asthma: http://www.epa.gov/region2/mediacenter/podcast.html

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• The Link Between Air Pollution and Asthma (everydayhealth.com)
• The Asthma Epidemic (sjeddington.wordpress.com)
• Hot, Muggy Weather Hits New York; Air Quality Alert Issued (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• What weather conditions bring out asthma symptoms? (zocdoc.com)

 

5 Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality - My Money (usnews.com)

Image by kqedquest via FlickrThe garage as far as we are concerned is one of the most dangerous areas of the home.  Between the car, tool, and chemical storage it can have various items that by themselves would have significant impacts on indoor air quality.  Individually, cars can impact air quality with the carbon monoxide they produce that can infiltrate the home, tools, depending on what powers them, can also have the same effect as a car or can generate contaminants like sawdust, silica, asbestos or other hazardous vapors, and chemical storage by itself can generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other hazardous vapors and mists.   The above article points out various ways you can improve your air quality and the ideas are excellent.

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