MY EARTH
By Jill Sell
Breathe in ... Breathe out …
C
54 COMMUNITY LEADER | FEBRUARY 2022
countries. The company cites U.S. EPA information that names particulate matter, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide as the main air pollutants in Cleveland. Chenault points the finger at “mobile sources (vehicles), industry and emissions from consumer products” as three significant sources of Ohio air pollution. The Ohio EPA suggests individuals can do their part when either high ozone or high particle levels are expected. Avoid excessive idling of your vehicle, set air conditioners no lower than 78 degrees, reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use, and trade in gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released its revised air quality guidelines in September 2021, the first major changes in 15 years. Basically, the report said no amount of air pollution is safe for anyone. Contact the Cleveland Department of Public Health’s Cleveland Division of Air Quality to register a citizen’s complaint about air quality. Some exceptions do exist, but generally open burning outdoors is not permitted. Yard waste, pressured or treated wood, rubber materials, garbage or dead animals are never permitted to be burned. Complaints about debris and dirt dragged out to public roadways, as well as dry cutting concrete without watering to control the dust, are also investigated.
Improving Indoor Air
Some air quality experts say the air we breathe indoors is worse than the air we inhale outdoors. Cleveland Clinic says there are ways to help lessen indoor air pollutants, which “can increase a person’s chances of having flares of chronic lung problems, including COPD and asthma.” You already know cigarette smoking is a major culprit, and that includes electronic cigarettes. And although we love them, wood burning fireplaces and stoves can be big indoor air polluters. Cleveland Clinic pulmonologists and other experts also recognize additional pollutants that can make health conditions worse. They suggest: • Not using scented candles • Avoiding harsh smelling household cleaners • Creating adequate ventilation for home offices and craft areas that create their own pollutant odors from ink toners, glues and paint • Understanding wall-to-wall carpeting is a great home for dirt, dust and dust mites, and we don’t want to think about what else
ISTOCK
levelanders hate to be one-upped by Columbus for anything, and that includes outdoor air quality. In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati as areas of “marginal nonattainment” for ozone air quality concerns. The cities had three years to make the grade. Columbus achieved the ozone standards in 2019. Cleveland and Cincy not so much. “The current air quality in Cleveland is much improved over past years, but is in nonattainment for the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Ozone concentrations have continued to decline over the years, but the standards have also become more restrictive,” according to Ohio EPA spokesman Anthony Chenault. Not especially good news for anyone who breathes outdoors and especially not for those with pre-existing health conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer or cardiovascular disease, the young and elderly. In 2020, Cleveland’s worst months for air quality were December, November and July, according to Swiss-based IQAir, an air quality technology company that operates in more than 100
Turn in a Polluter
