Transcript Preparing for Ozone Season - University of Kansas Medical

Air Quality Live and Learn Lecture
Series November 12, 2013
Pollution: It’s In the Air
Jack Brown, RS, MUA
Department of Preventive
Medicine and Public Health
Air Quality in Wichita Metro Area
Regional impact
MSA Community Patterns 7 County Area: Sedgwick, Harvey, Butler,
Cowley, Sumner and Kingman. 33,000 residents commute into or out of
Sedgwick County on a daily basis. (26,583 into Sedgwick and 6,789 out of
Sedgwick)
Population Wichita MSA
Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area: Harvey,
Butler, Sedgwick, Sumner and Kingman counties:
• Estimated population - 600,444
• Adding micro-population areas of Reno and
Cowley counties (total population 723,883)
• One of most industrialized areas in Kansas
Background-Clean Air Act
• In 1970 Congress passed the Clean Air Act
• Under the CAA nation-wide standards were set to
“protect public health and welfare.”
• These numerical standards are known as the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
• Ambient air is defined as that portion of the
atmosphere external to buildings that the general
public has access.
• Since 1972 there has been an established air
monitoring network in the Wichita area.
Air monitoring network
Air quality standards
Clean Air Act and the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards Criteria Pollutants:
• Carbon Monoxide (emitted from combustion
processes; cars, trucks, industrial sources)
• Lead (incinerators, smelting operations)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (emissions from combustion
processes; cars, trucks, buses, power plants)
• Ground level Ozone (formed by NOx, VOCs and
sunlight)
• Particle Pollution (micron sized particles from
combustion processes, molds, dust)
• Sulfur Dioxide (fossil fuel combustion/coal, diesel)
NAAQS
Every 5 years EPA reviews the standards using
these steps:
• Information from the scientific community
• Risk/Exposure Assessment
• Input from the Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Committee
• Ruling making and public input process.
Health Effects-Criteria Pollutants
• Harmful for sensitive groups
• Worsen bronchitis,
emphysema & asthma
• Reduces lung function
• Inflames lung lining
• Chest pain
• Coughing
• Congestion
• Irritation
Sources of pollution
• Point sources: major industrial facilities; aircraft,
chemical production, refineries, power plants,
incinerators. (Air Operating Permits required)
• Non-point sources (area sources): smaller often
un-regulated facilities: dry cleaning facilities,
fabrication shops, auto body painting, gas
stations. (Air Operating Permits not required)
• Mobile sources: on road vehicles (cars, trucks and
buses), off road (airplanes, trains, construction
equipment)
Air Operating Permits
Required for major sources of air pollutants.
• A major source is defined as a facility with the
potential to annually emit 10 tons or more of
any Hazardous Air Pollutant or
• 25 tons or more of any combination of HAPs;
or 100 tons or more of any other regulated air
pollutant including SO2, NOx, CO, PM10, Pb,
and VOC
Local Air Quality Attainment
• From 1974 – 1982 Wichita was Non attainment
for Carbon Monoxide.
• Downtown and surrounding area
• 13th Street North, Grove, Ark River and Kellogg
• Non attainment was addressed implementing
various projects to improved traffic flow and
signalization, a voluntary vehicle inspection
program and various street and highway projects.
• In 1988 Wichita achieved attainment for CO.
Current attainment issue Ozone
• Good up high, bad nearby.
• Ozone season is from April 1-October 30
• Ground level Ozone concentrations have been
a concern for a number of years in the Wichita
area.
• The current standard is .075 ppm (2008)
• The EPA may lower the standard but has
delayed action based on potential impact to
jobs, costs and the economy.
WHERE DOES OZONE COME FROM?
Causes of Ozone Formation
 Natural background
 Ozone or precursors
transported
 Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Dallas
 Flint Hills burning
 Homegrown
 VOC and NOx emissions
from local industry, businesses, homes and cars
36
Ozone precursors NOx and VOCs
Volatile Organic Emissions
Nitrogen Oxide Emissions
Health Tip: Cut back on strenuous outdoor exercise when air quality is expected
to be unhealthy. Exercise during the early morning or late evening hours when
ozone levels are at the lowest levels of the day. This is especially important for
children and other sensitive groups.
Site
2011
4th Highest
2012
4th Highest
2013
4th Highest
2011-13
3 yr Average
Peck
0.077
0.076
0.080
0.076
0.081
0.080
0.080
0.075
0.071
0.071
0.071
0.077
Health Dept
NW
Sedgwick
Readings are in parts per million
4th Highest Ozone Reading Three-Year Averages
78
76
74
Ozone in Parts per Billion
72
70
Peck
Wichita Health Dept
68
Sedgwick
66
64
62
60
2007-09
2008-10
2009-11
Years
2010-12
2011-13
What If We Go Out Of Attainment?
Costs to Community
• Decreased interest from
businesses to come in
to or expand operations
in the Wichita MSA
• New road projects may
not be funded
Costs to Individuals
• Increased fuel costs
(2-10 cents/gallon)
• Health care costs
• Increased energy costs
Ozone Alert Day(s)
1. Air Quality Staff will evaluate
conditions
2. Air Quality Section may declare
an Ozone Alert Day(s)
3. Strategies for reducing ozone
precursor emissions ( NOx and
VOCs) are recommended
Notification
• Information to local
media
• Information on City
website
• Posting alerts on KDOT
I.T.S.
(Intelligent
Transportation System)
Short Notice Recommendations
Alerts equal to or less than 4 hours will result in
implementation of the following:
• Idle Reduction Policy Reminder – Don’t idle
vehicles unnecessarily
• Turn off lights and office equipment when not
in use
• Encourage ridesharing and bringing lunch to
work
• Suspend Burn Permits
Long Term Ozone Event Recommendations
Ozone Alerts that extend past 1 day may result in the
following recommendations:
• Delay Fueling of vehicles until alert is over
• If fueling necessary; fuel late in the day & don’t
overfill tank to avoid spillage
• Signs will be posted in Fueling Areas
• Limit vehicle trips as much as possible during peak
traffic hours
• Postpone, or delay to late afternoon, meetings
involving travel to other facilities – substitute with
teleconferencing and e-mail
Long Term Ozone Event Recommendations
• Limit use of gasoline powered weed eaters,
lawn mowers, tractors, and power tools
• If grounds maintenance is necessary defer to
late afternoon or wait until non-action day
• Encourage City landscaping contractors to
adhere to same guidelines
• Delay painting activities and any other solvent
use actions
Long Term Ozone Event Recommendations
• Encourage vehicle maintenance
• Ensure proper inflation of tires
• If feasible, implement ten-hour daily
schedules for field crews, extending work into
late afternoon and eliminating one employee
travel day to work and reducing use of City
equipment
• Consider flex hours where workers can remain
at home and telecommute
Additional Recommendations
• Set Building Air Conditioning Temperatures at highest
comfortable setting (78 degrees recommended)
– Use fans to increase cooling efficiencies
• Encourage employees to ride the bus or bike to work
• When feasible, replace 2 cycle gasoline powered
equipment with more energy efficient equipment
–
–
–
–
4 cycle
Propane
Electric
People power
Local initiatives
• Creation of the Air Quality Improvement Task
Force
• Participation in EPA Ozone Advance:
1. Help attainment areas reduce emissions in order
to ensure continued health protection,
2. Better position areas to remain in attainment,
and
3. Efficiently direct available resources toward
actions to address ozone and fine particle
problems quickly.
Local initiatives
• Idling reduction policies adopted by City of
Wichita vehicle fleet
• KSU Pollution Prevention Institute Small
Business Environmental Assistance Program
• KDOT Intelligent Transportation System
• Voluntary automobile emissions testing at
community events.
For more information
Local air quality information:
http://online.wichita.gov/airquality/
EPA national air quality conditions:
http://www.airnow.gov/
Questions