The state of Indiana issues air quality alert for four parts of Indiana

Indiana – The state has issued an Air Quality Action Day for Tuesday.

According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, four regions of the state are in store for higher ozone levels.

• Central Indiana – Marion, Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Delaware, Hamilton, Hendricks, Howard, Madison, Shelby
• Southeast Indiana – Clark, Floyd
• Southwest Indiana – Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick
• West Central Indiana – Vigo, Carroll, Tippecanoe

Sunlight and hot weather combined with vehicle exhaust, factory emissions and gasoline vapors results with forming ground-level ozone.

The ozone we know is a layer above the atmosphere that protect the earth from sunlight and radiation, while the ground ozone is a lung irritant causing coughing and breathing difficulties.

The ground ozone is especially problematic for people suffering lung and heart conditions. Children and elderly people should limit their time outside when ground ozone levels are high. Workers should limit their time spent out especially in heavy-work industries.

The IDEM states that Tuesday would be a good day to:

• Walk, bike, or work from home when possible.
• Combine errands into one trip.
• Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m.
• Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds.
• Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. This air quality alert comes about four days after the last air quality alert issued due to wildfire smoke.