DES MOINES - Air pollution climbed to unhealthy levels Thursday in limited portions of northeast Iowa. Smog levels will likely remain at moderate levels today across the eastern half of Iowa, but could slip into unhealthy levels until the weather changes, according to the DNR.

"We've seen elevated smog levels this past week and don't expect any changes until winds pick up, clouds increase or temperatures cool," said Brian Button, an air information specialist with the DNR. "We could use a new air mass to come in and replace what we have now."

According to the national Air Quality Index (AQI), air quality fell into the orange or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" designation yesterday in portions of northeastern Iowa for ozone smog. Yesterday's AQI reached 106 in Bremer county where the monitor is located and likely covered all or portions of adjacent counties: Butler, Fayette, Chickasaw, Floyd and northern Black Hawk, but not the Waterloo or Cedar Falls area.

The AQI ranks air quality into good, moderate and several classes of unhealthy levels. The AQI fell between 80 to 100 at different times this week across eastern Iowa, while most of June was below 50, or good. Values over 100 are unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, people with respiratory concerns and those who spend extended hours outdoors engaged in heavy exertion.

Smog Formation
Heat and sunlight can transform air emissions from vehicles, businesses, factories and other sources into ozone, the main chemical in smog. It can be an eye and respiratory irritant, burn lung tissue and trigger asthmatic attacks.

The DNR is asking citizens to consider simple voluntary actions during the hot spell to avoid the heat while preventing unhealthy air. To give sunlight less time to react with emissions and smog-forming fumes, citizens can:

• Postpone lawn mowing, oil-based painting and auto refueling until late in the day or evening,
• Postpone unnecessary driving until the evening or consolidate errands to use the car when pollution controls are warmed and emitting less
• Avoid or postpone use of heavy-emitting two-stroke engines such as gas-powered mowers, weed trimmers and chain saws until evening.

The public can check current smog levels and learn more about protecting air quality by logging onto www.iowacleanair.com, a DNR website. "This allows Iowans prone to breathing difficulty to check air quality to decide if they should be exercising or doing prolonged, heavy work outside," said Button.

For more information contact, Brian Button 515-281-7832.