Jun 12, 2013 3 min read

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Notice: Trying to get property 'term_id' of non-object in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Washington County residents might think that pollution is just a Pittsburgh problem, but their lungs would beg to differ. Unlike the iconic black smoke that engulfed Pittsburgh in the Industrial Age, the primary pollutants in the area today are invisible – and they’re everywhere.

“People should be very concerned about pollution in this area,” said Philip Johnson, senior program officer of The Heinz Endowments’ environment program.

Prolonged exposure to ozone gas, one of the most prevalent pollutants in the Pittsburgh area, can cause a long laundry list of ailments, including the seemingly harmless cough, as well as more serious respiratory and cardiovascular complications.

Ozone forms in sunlight, which makes it particularly potent in the hot summer months. During this time of year, the ubiquitous gas poses more serious health risks for anyone outdoors.

“It is primarily a summertime pollutant, and it can cover wide geographic areas well beyond urban areas,” Johnson said.

Pollutants can travel downwind from Pittsburgh, or immediately enter the air from cars and trucks, coal-fired power plants and natural gas compressor stations.

Washington County’s ozone levels improved over the past year – albeit one letter grade, from a D to a C – according to a yearly air-quality report released by the American Lung Association. Pittsburgh ranked 24th in the nation for most ozone-polluted city.

Studies have revealed that exposure to ozone can exacerbate asthma and cause chronic bronchitis, lung disease and heart disease.

Some of the short-term effects include throat irritation, inflammation of the airways, coughing, wheezing, induced asthma and shortness of breath, according to Chetan Naik, a pulmonary doctor at Southwestern PA Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine.

“It certainly is known to reduce your lung capacity when exposed, and it decreases the ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen,” Naik said.

Joseph Barkovich, 32, of Pittsburgh, has been running for almost 15 years. He said he has experienced shortness of breath while running outside during the hot summer months, but he has learned to control his breathing.

“It’s a little bit more of a labored breathing. You just have to concentrate on taking more running breaths – breathing with your belly and expelling all the oxygen from the bottom of your lungs,” Barkovich said.

However, a poor forecast for air quality might make him “seriously reconsider if it was a good exercise day in general, even inside.”

The air quality index (found online at airnow.gov) can be a helpful tool to determine whether or not to venture outside, Naik said. Free smartphone apps such as State of the Air, released by the American Lung Association, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s AIRNow, provide similar information.

If the daily forecast has surpassed the 100-mark and entered the orange category – which indicates unhealthy air for sensitive groups – Naik recommends avoiding strenuous activities outdoors. The best times to be outside are in the early morning and evening, when the sun’s rays have not yet stirred up harmful pollutants.

Children, whose lungs are still developing, are the most susceptible demographic in terms of health effects. Adults can keep their children healthy by monitoring the amount of time they spend outdoors, as well as keeping their homes clean.

“It’s really smart for parents to take proactive measures to reduce their exposures because it’s these cumulative exposures that, over time, are going to have the potential ability to really impact people’s health,” Johnson said.