Air quality alert issued for Mon Valley Tuesday morning
High pressure is expected to trap pollutants close to the surface, resulting in Code Orange conditions.
By MICHAEL DIVITTORIO
TribLive
Older adults, children, people with heart or lung disease and other sensitive groups in the Mon Valley may want to stay indoors Tuesday morning.
The Allegheny County Health Department has issued a Mon Valley Episode Watch.
Officials said an episode warning runs parallel with the state Department of Environmental Protection issuing a Code Orange air quality alert for the Monongahela Valley.
High pressure over the area will result in limits to air mixing and trap pollutants close to the surface Tuesday morning.
The result will be several hours in the Code Orange or higher range.
Officials said Code Orange was specifically issued for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) based on a 24-hour average, where individual hours will have concentrations higher and lower than the forecast.
PM 2.5 is a type of particle pollution that comes from many different sources. Fine particles, those 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller, come from power plants, industrial processes, vehicle tailpipes, woodstoves and wildfires.
Particle pollution causes several serious health problems, including coughing, wheezing, reduced lung function, asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes. It also is linked to early death in people with heart or lung disease.
Sensitive groups should make outdoor activities shorter and less intense.
Those groups also include teenagers, pregnant women, minority populations, and outdoor workers.
Officials said it is OK to be active outdoors, but take more breaks. Watch for symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath.
People with asthma should follow their asthma action plan and keep quick relief medicine handy.
People with heart disease should monitor symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue may indicate a serious problem.
Companies in the Mon Valley contributing to pollution are required to temporarily reduce activities that produce emissions.
The latest local updates on air quality are available for free by enrolling in Allegheny Alerts.
