Tri-Cities and Seattle get F’s for air quality. They have the same problem

Benton County received an F for air quality due to summer ozone levels in a new report by the American Lung Association.

King was the only other county in the state — among the nine counties with good data on ozone — to receive a failing grade due to ozone, in the State of the Air 2021 report.

The study found that there were 14 days in 2017-19 when ozone levels in the Tri-Cities area were high enough to be considered unhealthy for sensitive groups by Environmental Protection Agency criteria.

Sensitive groups include children, older adults and people with lung disease.

However, ozone levels as calculated for eight-hour periods did not reach a level considered unhealthy for all people on any day.

The Seattle area had 12 days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups and six days unhealthy for everyone.

Umatilla County, just south of Benton County in Oregon, received a D for ozone levels with seven days unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Franklin County does not have an ozone monitor and was not given a grade.

The study also looked at particulate pollution, such as from wildfire smoke, but did not include data for either Benton or Franklin counties.

Nationwide 163 counties were given an F for ozone pollution, a decrease from the three previous annual reports.

Bad for business

The American Lung Association says breathing ozone irritates the lungs and causes inflammation, “resulting in something like a bad sunburn within the lungs.”

Ozone also is linked to increased risk of lower birth weight in newborns, according to the association.

The Washington state Department of Ecology says ozone can increase the risk for pneumonia and bronchitis.

Too much ozone also could have harm the Tri-Cities economy.

Continued high readings could trigger sanctions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

It could make getting air quality permits more difficult for new or expanding businesses, or require them to invest in projects that would offset their contribution to the ozone problem.

But the EPA, which averages the highest ozone readings each year, is likely to look more favorably on the Tri-Cities if it already is taking steps to reduce ozone, according to state officials.

Decreasing ozone

Ozone is good if it is in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, helping shield people from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

But it is harmful if it is near the ground and people are breathing it.

High readings of ozone are most common on hot summer days when there is a light wind from the north or northeast blowing into the Tri-Cities.

Pollutants are blown from the north until the air dams up against the Horse Heaven Hills. There particles bake in the sunshine on hot days, producing ozone, which spreads across the Tri-Cities.

The chemicals that create ozone can come from the exhaust of motor vehicles, a major contributor in the Tri-Cities, and the reason ozone is most often a problem in large cities, including Seattle.

Los Angeles was the city in the United States most polluted by ozone, according to the American Lung Association.

Industry and wildfires also can contribute to ozone.

Residents of the Tri-Cities can make small changes on days when ozone levels are predicted to be high to help keep ozone in check.

They could drive less those days, taking the bus or carpooling, and postpone errands. They also should avoid idling their cars.

Cars could be gassed up either in advance of a bad day for ozone or in the evening after the weather has cooled.

Mowing or using other gasoline-powered equipment could be put off either until evening or until another day. Barbecuing and using aerosols during hot weather also contributes to ozone production.