2010 AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

Transcription

1 1 AIR POLLUTION CONTROL Monitoring Report for Lake and Geauga Counties Lake County General Health District 33 Mill Street Painesville, Ohio 4477

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3 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION... 1 STATE AND FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS... 3 OZONE... 4 SULFUR DIOXIDE... 6 INHALABLE PARTICULATES... 8 CARBON MONOXIDE... 1 AIR QUALITY INDEX... 14

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5 List of Tables Table I Table II Table III Table IV Table V Table VI Table VII Table VIII Table IX MONITORING SITES STATE & FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS OZONE 8-HOUR DATA SULFUR DIOXIDE EASTLAKE DATA SULFUR DIOXIDE PAINESVILLE DATA PM1 MONITORING DATA PM.5 DATA CARBON MONOXIDE DATA AIR QUALITY INDEX

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7 INTRODUCTION The Lake County General Health District operates four monitoring sites located throughout Lake County and one site in Geauga County. Each monitoring site contains one or more monitors depending on the parameters measured at the site. Table I gives a breakdown of the sampling station locations and the pollutant parameters monitored at each station. There are four major pollutants that were monitored during 1. 1.) Ozone (O 3 ) is formed when nitrogen oxides and certain hydrocarbons combine in the presence of sunlight. Many ozone precursors are produced from automobiles. Ozone is one component of photochemical smog. It can affect the tissues in plants and is irritating to the eye, nose, throat, and respiratory systems. Ozone is monitored at Lake County Job and Family Services building in Painesville, Jefferson Elementary School in Eastlake, and Notre Dame Educational Center in Munson Township, Geauga County. The Dasibi model 13RS and API model 4E analyzers employ ultraviolet photometry for analysis..) Sulfur Dioxide (SO ) is a heavy, pungent, colorless gas formed primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels. Sulfur dioxide can affect the respiratory tract as well as vegetation and other materials. Sulfur dioxide is monitored at the Lake County Job and Family Services building in Painesville and the Jefferson Elementary School in Eastlake. The Dasibi model 418 and API model 1E employ the ultraviolet fluorescence technique for analysis. 3.) Inhalable Particulates (PM-1 and PM-.5) are very small solid or liquid particles in the air. They can aggravate respiratory diseases, reduce sunlight, and damage plants. Particulates can be found in dust, smoke, fumes, mist, spray, and fog. The major sources are iron and steel operations, electric power generation, and coal mining operations. PM-1 samples are collected using Wedding Samplers designed to collect particles less than ten micrometers in diameter. PM-.5 samples are collected using Andersen monitors that are designed to collect particles less than.5 micrometers in diameter. The PM-1 monitors are sited at Harding High School in Fairport Harbor, and the PM-.5 monitors are at the Lake County Job and Family Services building site in Painesville. 4.) Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, highly toxic gas emitted from automobiles. In small amounts, it can impair alertness and cause fatigue and headaches. In large amounts, it can kill. People with heart conditions and respiratory ailments are especially susceptible. Carbon monoxide is monitored from the Consumer Tire building at the intersection at Route and Route 615 in Mentor. The Dasibi Model 33 analyzer employs the infrared technique for analysis. 1

8 Using daily sulfur dioxide and ozone data collected at the Lake County Job and Family Services building in Painesville, the Health District reports the Air Quality Index to the public. Environmental radiation is also monitored at the Lake County Job and Family Services building in Painesville. MONITORING SITES Table I Painesville County Job and Family Services Building Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide Particulates PM.5 5. Fairport Harding High School Particulates PM 1 3. Eastlake Jefferson Elem. School Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide 4. Mentor Consumer Tire Building Carbon Monoxide 5. Geauga County Notre Dame Educational Center Ozone

9 STATE AND FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS The national ambient air quality standards are the maximum allowable levels for the six criteria pollutants: inhalable particulates, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen dioxide. The Lake County General Health District monitors the first four of these criteria pollutants. For many pollutants there are both primary and secondary standards. The attainment and maintenance of the primary standards are necessary to protect the public health. Secondary standards are designed to protect the public welfare. Table II POLLUTANT RESTRICTIONS STATE STANDARDS PRIMARY SECONDARY Photochemical Oxidants (Ozone ppm) Sulfur Dioxide (SO ppb) Carbon Monoxide (CO ppm) Not to be exceeded on more than one day per year, averaged over three years. Not to be exceeded on more than one day per year, averaged over three years 8-hour arithmetic mean, not to be exceeded more than once per year..75 for the avg. of 4 th highest 8 hr avg. over a 3 year period. 75 for the 99th percentile of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations, averaged over 3 years 9 FEDERAL STANDARDS PRIMARY SECONDARY.75 for the avg. of 4 th highest 8 hr avg. over a 3 year period..5 for 3 hr average 75 for the 99th percentile of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations, averaged over 3 years for the avg. of 4 th highest 8 hr avg. over a 3 year period..5 for 3 hr average 9 Inhalable Particulates (PM 1 μg/m 3 ) Inhalable Particulates (PM.5 μg/m 3 ) 1-hour arithmetic mean, not to be exceeded more than one per year. The 4-hour concentration not to be exceeded more than one per year. Annual arithmetic mean, not to be exceeded. Averaged over 3- years The 4-hour concentration

10 OZONE Ozone is by far the most serious air pollution problem in Lake and Geauga Counties. Ozone is the primary constituent of smog. The process by which ozone is formed in the atmosphere involves a complex interaction of several factors. Ozone is formed in an atmospheric "soup" composed of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) that is "cooked" by bright sunlight. The "soup pot" is an air mass (usually a high pressure cell) with an inversion layer as the lid and the wind as the stirrer. When the atmospheric soup has the right amount of ingredients and the meteorological conditions are such that ingredients are cooked in a certain way, the end result is a buildup of ozone. Ozone causes headaches, irritates the eyes and throat, permanently damages lung and heart tissues, destroys red blood cells, and increases susceptibility to infection. It is particularly damaging to the very young, the very old, and victims of chronic heart and lung disease. Blankets of smog can travel to rural areas hundreds of miles from the city where they are formed. The Health District operates three continuous ozone monitors. One monitor is located at Lake County Job and Family Services building in Painesville, one is located at Jefferson Elementary School in Eastlake, and the third is located at Notre Dame Educational Center in Geauga County. Due to the amount of sunlight needed to produce ozone, an ozone monitoring season was established. Ozone is monitored from the period of April 1 to October 31, seven days a week. Prior to the establishment of the season, the monitors were operated year round. 4

11 In the summer of 1995, the Northeast Ohio Area-wide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and the Northeast Ohio Ozone Action Task Force developed the Ozone Action Day program. This program was developed to alert the public via broadcast and print media when conditions become favorable for high level ozone formation. The media participated by publicizing simple actions that individuals and businesses can take to reduce ozone-producing activities. Fifteen days were declared as Air Quality Advisory Days in 1. On May 7, 8 the USEPA revised the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone. Exceedances will now be determined using the three year average of the fourth highest 8-hour average concentration. This value must be less than.75 ppm to be in compliance. Below is a summary of data for the 8, 9, and 1 Ozone Season. 8-HOUR AVERAGE Table III PAINESVILLE EASTLAKE GEAUGA st nd 3 rd 4 th average.76 average.77 average 5

12 SULFUR DIOXIDE Sulfur dioxide is formed when sulfur-containing coal or oil is burned. Sulfur dioxide causes damage to the lining of the lungs. Additionally, sulfuric acid is formed when sulfur dioxide reacts with water vapor in the air. This causes acid rain, which damages building materials, paint, crops and other vegetation, and threatens desirable species of game fish in lakes and streams. Sulfur dioxide is monitored continuously from the Lake County Job and Family Services Building in Painesville and Jefferson Elementary School in Eastlake. The primary standard is 75 ppb and is calculated from the 3-year average of the 99th percentile of the yearly distribution of 1-hour daily maximum SO concentrations. The secondary standard, which remains is a 3-hour standard with a level of 5 ppb. The Lake County area has been in compliance for the past ten years. The designations using the new standard have not been made yet. 6

13 SULFUR DIOXIDE (EASTLAKE) Standard = 75ppb Table IV Year 8 Highest 1- hr reading 97 nd highest 1-hr reading th percentile 4 4-hr average 18 Number of Violations Avg=37 SULFUR DIOXIDE (PAINESVILLE) Standard = 75ppb Table V Year Highest 1- hr reading nd highest 1-hr reading 99 th percentile 4-hr average Number of Violations Avg=

14 INHALABLE PARTICULATES Inhalable particulates (PM-1 and PM.5) refer to dust, ash, grit, toxic metals, and other particles suspended in the air. Burning coal, incineration of garbage and other wastes, fugitive dust from vacant lots and unpaved roads, and industrial processes such as steel making, stone quarrying, grain drying, and others can produce particulate matter. Dust can be resuspended by heavy automobile traffic, which can cause a violation of air quality standards in downtown areas. Particulate matter can cause serious breathing problems, particularly to individuals with asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema. It causes soiling of fabrics, buildings, home furnishings and other materials, erodes paint on homes and automobiles, decreases sunlight, increases rainfall, and may cause an increase in violent weather. On July 1, 1987, USEPA promulgated the PM-1 Standard for ambient air monitoring (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 1 micrometers or less), which went into effect July 31, As a result, the previous Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) Standard was discontinued and initiation of the PM-1 sampling method was begun in January Two specially designed, flow controlled, high-volume air samplers are located at Harding High School in Fairport Harbor and collect 4-hour samples every six days. The resultant ambient air quality data is compared to the National Standards for PM-1 which is15 μg/m 3 for 4 hour sampling period. The Lake County area has been in compliance for the past ten years. There were no exceedances of the PM-1 standard during 1. 8

15 PM1 MONITORING DATA Table VI MAXIMUM 4 HOUR μg/m 3 MAXIMUM 4 HOUR STANDARD NUMBER OF VIOLATION S PM 1 MAXIMUM 4 HOUR CONCENTRATION Max. 4Hr MAX 4 CONCENTRATION STANDARD = 15 ug/m3 9

16 PM.5 is collected every three days at the Painesville site using an Andersen monitor, which is the type of monitor utilized throughout Ohio. Once a sample is collected it is shipped to Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services to be analyzed. The air quality standards for PM.5 are 15μg/m 3 for an annual arithmetic mean and 35μg/m 3 for a twenty-four hour concentration. Although Lake County has not had a violation of the PM.5 standard we are included in the Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria nonattainment area for PM.5. PM.5 Data Table VII Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Annual Average Maximum 4-hour μg/m Monthly Average μg/m

17 PM.5 MAXIMUM 4 HOUR CONCENTRATION JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Max. 4Hr MAXIMUM 4 HOUR CONCENTRATION = 65 ug/m3 PM.5 MONTHLY AVERAGE JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Mon. Avg

18 CARBON MONOXIDE While Lake County's two coal fired power plants are major emitters of carbon monoxide, it is our automobiles that generate the largest amount of this noxious gas. From 1979 through 199, the CO monitoring site was located in downtown Willoughby. In August of 199, the site was moved to the heavily traveled intersection of Route and Route 615 in Mentor. The site, located inside the Consumer Tire building, allows the monitoring of one of the busiest intersections in Lake County, with a traffic count of approximately 38,4 vehicles per day. The Dasibi Model 33 CO analyzer employs the infrared technique for analysis. The standard for carbon monoxide is based on two time frames: an eight hour average of 9. ppm not to be exceeded more than once per year, and a one hour average of 35. ppm not to be exceeded more than once per year. CARBON MONOXIDE DATA Table VIII Year Max. 8 hr. avg. ppm Number of violations Max. 1 hr. avg. ppm Number of Violations 1

19 CARBON MONOXIDE 8 HOUR AVERAGE 1 YEAR TREND hr avg MAX 8 HR AVG PPM STANDARD = 9 PPM CARBON MONOXIDE 1 HOUR AVERAGE 1 YEAR TREND hr avg MAX 1 HR AVG PPM STANDARD = 35 13

20 Air Quality Index The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health. Think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from to 5. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 5 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value over 3 represents hazardous air quality. An AQI value of 1 generally corresponds to the national air quality standard for the pollutant, which is the level EPA has set to protect public health. AQI values below 1 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 1, air quality is considered to be unhealthy at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher. The purpose of the AQI is to help you understand what local air quality means to your health. To make it easier to understand, the AQI is divided into six categories: Air Quality Index (AQI) Values When the AQI is in this range: Levels of health Concern air quality conditions are: Colors as symbolized by this color: to 5 Good Green 51 to 1 Moderate Yellow 11 to 15 Unhealthy for Orange Sensitive Groups 151 to Unhealthy Red 1 to 3 Very Unhealthy Purple 31 to 5 Hazardous Maroon 14

21 Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are: Good The AQI value for your community is between and 5. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk. Moderate The AQI for your community is between 51 and 1. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups When AQI values are between 11 and 15, members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. This means they are likely to be affected at lower levels than the general public. For example, people with lung disease are at greater risk from exposure to particle pollution. The general public is not likely to be affected when the AQI is in this range. Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects when AQI values are between 151 and. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. Very Unhealthy AQI values between 1 and 3 trigger a health alert, meaning everyone may experience more serious health effects. Hazardous AQI values over 3 trigger health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. An air quality index (AQI) is computed and reported by the Health District five days each week using data from the Lake County Job and Family Services site. The index is based upon the highest concentration of sulfur dioxide or ozone for the day. The index is reported to local radio stations (WBKC and WELW) to keep the public informed of the air quality. The following chart shows the number of days in each category, along with the maximum index for the year as calculated by the United States EPA. 1 AQI SUMMARY Table IX YEAR GOOD -5 MODERATE 51-1 UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUP UNHEALTHY Maximum

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