Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Today marks the first Ozone Action Day of the year for Livingston County residents and others across Southeast Michigan as pollutants are expected to be in a range deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments says it’s important for local governments, businesses, and individuals to do what they can to voluntarily lower pollutant emissions on Ozone Action Days when high levels of ozone are expected. Breathing high concentrations of ozone can cause a variety of health problems -particularly for the elderly, children, and people with asthma or other respiratory issues.

SEMCOG Executive Director Amy O'Leary said the sunny days and warm temperatures have been most welcome this week but it’s important to be aware that concentrated air pollutants are a threat to the health of Southeast Michigan residents - especially the most vulnerable populations.

Some actions to consider to help minimize ozone formation include delaying mowing the lawn until evening or the next day; try to drive less by delaying or combining errands; avoiding refueling vehicles during daylight hours; and reduce electricity use. It’s also recommended that active children and adults, and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma, limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

This marks the 30th year of SEMCOG’s voluntary program that helps keep Southeast Michigan's air clean. In 2022, there were five Ozone Action Days declared.

More information is available in the provided link.