Sarasota County issues precautionary air quality advisory

Sarasota County Air Advisory for Elevated Ozone Levels

Sarasota County has issued an air advisory for elevated ozone levels and/or the potential for elevated ozone levels that fall within the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards for public health. The advisory remains in effect until dusk Thursday, Aug. 15.

Elevated Ozone Levels Detected

The elevated levels were detected Thursday afternoon at the Lido Key and Jackson Road air monitoring stations.

The weather conditions, including sun, high temperatures and low relative humidity resulted in the formation of ozone concentrations corresponding to a slightly higher index than the typical “good” range, the county said in a news release. Given these factors, staff found that air levels had the potential to approach unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Health Effects and Recommendations

Individuals with respiratory ailments may experience health effects during this air advisory and may want to limit their outdoor activities. The general public is not likely to be affected. Any person with health-related questions should contact their personal healthcare provider.

EPA Standards for Ground-Level Ozone

In 2015, the EPA significantly strengthened its National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone, from the 0.075 parts per million, which was in place since 2008, to 0.070 parts per million.

Sarasota County Air Program

The Sarasota County Air program has monitored air quality since 1985 and currently reports it to the community through the Air Quality Index, alerting residents of current air quality conditions and pollutants in Sarasota County. With four monitoring stations located throughout the county, data is presented in real-time for levels of ozone and other particulate matter that can impact at-risk residents such as those with asthma or respiratory conditions.

For more information, dial 311 or visit scgov.net.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
• SDG 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
• SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 3.9: Number of deaths and illnesses attributed to air pollution.
• Indicator for SDG 11.6: Proportion of urban solid waste regularly collected and with adequate final discharge out of total urban solid waste generated, by cities.
• Indicator for SDG 13.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: heraldtribune.com