DEP Issues Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Wednesday, May 26 In Southeast PA

On May 25, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for ozone for Wednesday, May 26 in the southeastern counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.

A combination of partly sunny skies and high temperatures in the low 90s will likely contribute to 8-hour average concentrations of ozone in the Code Orange range on Wednesday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.

An Air Quality Action Day is issued when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day area are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by--

-- Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature;

-- Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;

-- Limiting engine idling; and

-- Refueling cars and trucks after dusk.

For more information, visit DEP at Air Quality Partners webpage, EPA’s AirNow webpage, or the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Air Quality Partnership webpage.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Posted: May 25, 2021] PA Environment Digest