Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Another Air Quality Advisory has been declared for Friday.

SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, announced that it marks the fifth Air Quality Advisory of the season for the region.

SEMCOG Executive Director Amy O'Leary said they encourage all residents to minimize time in the sun, stay hydrated, and limit physical exertion.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) noted that elevated levels of ozone are expected in Southeast Michigan and that pollutants are anticipated to reach the range of “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG, Orange AQI)”.

SEMCOG says it’s important for local governments, businesses, and individuals to do what they can to voluntarily lower pollutant emissions when high levels of ozone are expected. It added that 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.

In partnership with EGLE, SEMCOG is now implementing a two-tiered system of Air Quality Advisories and Air Quality Alerts. The new system is based on the EPA’s U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI). More information is available in the provided link.