HARRISBURG (Newsradio 100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a Code Orange Action Day for ozone for Tuesday across many areas of the state, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides standardized color codes for air quality. Green means good air quality, yellow means moderate, orange means unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups, and red means unhealthy pollution levels for all.
Due to the sunny skies and high temperatures reaching the 90s on Tuesday, there is a potential for the local area to reach a code orange.
This means that young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems—like asthma, emphysema, bronchitis—are vulnerable to effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
Residents and businesses in Air Quality Action Day areas are encouraged to reduce air pollution by:
-Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation
-Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips
-Limiting engine idling
-Refueling cars and trucks after dusk
-Conserving electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use.
Other counties across the state included in the Code Orange include Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton.
