Air quality issues to usher in 2011 in Connecticut

Connecticut’s air quality for Dec.31, and Jan. 1, is "expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups throughout Connecticut due to elevated levels of particle pollution," the state Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement.
"A high pressure weather system is building over the Northeast resulting in stagnant winds and stable atmospheric conditions in the lowest levels of the atmosphere. This means that locally emitted air pollution will linger near the surface and produce elevated levels of particle pollution," the statement said.
Weather conditions are expected to help improve our air quality by Jan. 2,"as a cold front will swing through the region with rain showers and increasing winds that will dissipate the lingering particle pollution," the statement said.


Members of sensitive groups such as the elderly and people with asthma may experience health effects, such as aggravation of heart and lung disease, the statement said. The general public is not likely to be affected.

The statement also said: "Particle pollution is produced by a wide variety of natural and manmade sources, including factories, power plants, trash incinerators, motor vehicles, diesel engines, construction activity, fires, and natural windblown dust. In the winter, wood smoke also contributes to the formation of particle pollution."

The main sources of the high particle levels include emissions from internal combustion engines and heating systems, the statement said. "The most important thing the public can do at this time is minimize the non-essential use of wood burning appliances such as wood stoves and fireplaces. Vehicle idling should be reduced, and only properly maintained vehicles and engines should be operated in order to reduce emissions. Well-insulated energy efficient homes and home heating systems that are properly maintained also reduce heating demand, save money and help reduce air pollution."

For more information on air quality in Connecticut, visit http://www.ct.gov/dep/aqi.
For information on wood burning in Connecticut, go to http://www.ct.gov/dep/air and follow the link to Wood Burning.
 
Editor's note: The information in this post was provided wholly by the Department of Environmental Protection. It is posted here as a public service.