Just in case you have not reviewed the ozone data from this weekend, after several days of Northeasterly winds winds, San Antonio's ozone levels elevated over the new eight hour standard of 75 ppb. this weekend, even though we had from 40- 57% less vehicular trafficthan on weekdays.
On Saturday, CAMS 23 hit 76 ppb. and CAMS 58 hit 77 ppb. Seguin, which only has about 25,000 residents, hit 65 ppb. on Saturday and 64 ppb. on Sunday. On Sunday, when vehicular traffic is almost 60% less than weekdays, we still managed to hit 75 ppb. at CAMS 23 and 73 ppb. at CAMS 58. Seguin came in at 64 ppb.. San Antonio and Austin (who have emissions testing) are now within two days of going over the new ozone standard.
As you can see by the numbers, when transported man-made and natural pollution (VOCs from oak trees and plants like the kudzu) moves into our area, there is nothing we can do to stay within the ridiculously low 8 hour ozone average standard.
FYI: As you know, I'm an asthmatic. I worked outside on both Saturday and Sunday, and breathed quite well. I wonder if there were any spike in emergency room visits this weekend, due to the high ozone?
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OzoneInformation.Com is not a governmental or official health organization. Our "ozone watches" are sent out to local leaders and the media to help them understand why and when high ozone occurs in our area.
New San Antonio study shows that it is impossible to reach new ozone standard.
New modeling data shows that even with a 50% reduction in vehicular pollution by 2013, cities like San Antonio cannot reach the new ozone eight hour standard of 75 ppb. during high ozone events. Background levels of ozone, measured in rural areas, are often 75 ppb. or higher during these events. Please check out the PDF to the right.
Joel Schwartz shoots many holes in the science behind lowering the ozone standard even more.
Lawnmowers pollute as much as 11 cars!5-19-08
According to the EPA, Americans spend more than three billion hours per year using lawn and garden equipment. Currently, a push mower emits as much hourly pollution as 11 cars and a riding mower emits as much as 34 cars.
CDC Report Shows no link between Asthma Rates and High Ozone Cities
Now that the EPA has decided to lower the national ozone threshold to 75 ppb. please read the CDC report listed below showing the cities with the highest percentages of asthmatics. As you will see, there is no link between the high ozone cities and asthmatic rates. High ozone cities, like Houston, Texas have asthma rates lower than smaller cities like Midland-Odessa. The studies that the EPA is using to make their decision to lower the ozone levels to 75 ppb. do not include pollen or particulate matter...the two biggest triggers of asthma.
According to the EPA, Since 1970, average vehicle ozone producing emissions (NOx) have been reduced by almost 98%. Current new vehicles are emitting only .07 NOx Standard (grams per mile) compared with over 3 grams per mile in 1975, under the first Clean Air Act Standards.
Simply put, it would take almost 50 new cars to equal the NOx emissions of 1 car in the early 70's!
Study Proves that High Ozone can Occur with 57% Less Vehicles on Road
The following study done in San Antonio, with a population of over a million people, shows that on weekends, vehicular traffic is reduced by up to 57%. Despite that, many cities, like San Antonio, still have high ozone days on weekends...illustrating the fact that even if we could remove half of the cars on the weekdays, there would still be high ozone events. Cars continue to be a smaller and smaller percentage of ozone producing emissions as every year goes by. For more info, see the full story on my Ozone Blog.
Vehicle Emissions Testing Lowers Ozone by Only .05 ppb.
Despite vehicle emissions testing being the "favorite way to lower ozone" by the EPA, studies done in San Antonio, TX, with a population of over a million, show that emissions testing will only lower ozone by .05 ppb. A figure so low, it can't be detected by ozone monitors.
To view the 2003 presentation, click on the PowerPoint icon below. The information is on page 14.
Large Cities May Only Contribute Less Than 10 ppb. to Ozone
A new study of San Antonio's high ozone events from June of 2006 reveals even a city as large as San Antonio may only be contributing less than 10 ppb. of ozone during high ozone events. Figures from the study come from the Alamo Area Council of Governments and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Welcome to OzoneInformation.Com. This site is dedicated to ground-level ozone education. Our goal is to present a well balanced site of information that may not be normally distributed by media or governmental sites.
Because Texas has one of the best state ozone websites in the country, ozoneinformation.com contains a lot of ozone reports from Texas. However, much of the data can be applied to any city in the world that is experiencing ozone problems.
The founder of this site is Mark Langford, an asthmatic, who has had an interest in weather related science for most of his life. Over the past five years he has been active in learning the true roots of high ozone events in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives. By studying rural and urban ozone monitor information, along with expensive computer modeling being funded by cities like San Antonio, Mark has learned that many cities across the U.S. are being unfairly penalized for air quality problems that are not their own.
When your area is having a high ozone event, please check the ozone readings from small towns and rural areas using the "current ozone" section of this site. There are many times when ozone is almost as high in small towns and parks as our heavily populated cities.
Since automobile emissions are nearly 98% less than forty years ago according to the EPA, Mark believes that automobile emissions do not play as large of a role in ozone production as many people currently think. Based on Mark's own research, transported pollution from "old technology" coal fire plants, pollution from as far away as China, smoke from crop burnings or forest fires and natural volatile organic compounds being emitted from vegetation appear to be the main triggers for these events.
This site will share links to studies and other information for those who are studying ground level ozone. All information presented here is from local, state or national scientific sources.
Don't forget that ozone is actually a natural way of cleansing our air and protecting us from harmful UV-b radiation. As ground level ozone is formed, it eliminates nitrogen oxide gases (NOx). NOx is emitted from coal burning power plants, motor vehicles, industrial plants and any type of agricultural or forest fire. High levels of ozone in the lower atmosphere only form when there are high levels of pollution. In the upper atmosphere, stratospheric ozone protects all life from harmful UV-b radiation.
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