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Health
Effects of
Ozone Links:
Long
term
effects of
ozone exposure
Effects
of
ozone exposure
on Children
How
much
ozone is
too much?
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Federal
Air Quality Standard
In
response to a lawsuit filed by the American Lung Association,
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in July 1997 issued
a more strict air quality standard for ground-level ozone.
The
new standard lowered acceptable ozone concentrations from
0.12 parts per million (ppm) averaged over one-hour to 0.08
ppm averaged over eight hours. Compliance is based on the
fourth highest reading per year averaged over three years.
The
EPA lowered the acceptable ozone standard to address recent
scientific evidence that cumulative lung damage can be the
result of prolonged exposure to ozone air pollution. By averaging
ozone levels over an eight hour period, the revised standard
provides a higher level of protection, especially for people
who spend a significant amount of time outdoors.
It’s
a Fact…
- Nearly
100 states and cities across the country are currently under
violation for ground level ozone, including Baltimore and
Washington, D.C., some exceeding EPA standards by 50 percent
or more.
- 127
Million Americans--half of the nation's population--live
in regions with air quality that does not meet federal standards
for certain air pollutants.
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