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May 27, 2002
By JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS
Staff writer
Ozone is good. Ozone is bad. It depends on where you find it.
If it's floating 40,000 feet above the Earth, it's good, protecting us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays and
keeping the planet warm.
If it's down around ground level, it's bad, contributing to smog, and acting as a health-threatening air pollutant.
Add in the unburned fossil fuels emitted from automobiles, smokestacks and gas pumps and sunlight on those stifling days of
summer, and you've got an Ozone Action alert.
Despite the recent cool weather, those alerts are bound to happen, according to Steve Bulthuis of Holland, who keeps
track of ozone levels and runs the local Ozone Action Days program.
"Right now it doesn't appear we're ever going to have any, but we certainly will at some point," said Bulthuis.
There were a dozen Ozone Action Days last summer.
Bulthuis said that's an increase from the four in 2000, but down from 20 in 1999.
Ozone Action Days are the call of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
During the Ozone Action season, which runs from April 1 to Sept. 30, meteorologists from each state work together during a
conference call to develop a regional ozone forecast. For Michigan, in order to have an Ozone Action Day called, the forecast
must predict ozone levels above 80 parts per billion (ppb) over an eight-hour period.
Air quality monitor statistics show the Holland area continues to have ozone above the threshold. However, averaged
values show a slight reduction in recent years.
Based on the eight-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, values for Holland averaged 98 ppb in 1997,
94 ppb in 1998 and 1999, 89 ppb in 2000, and 87 ppb last year.
Sixty-percent of the ozone problem is caused by people operating cars, trucks, boats and lawn mowers, according to
the West Michigan Clean Air Coalition.
The following are tips for lowering the level of fuel vapors in the air:
* Get fuel when it's cool, early morning or after sundown.
* Use public transportation, share a ride, or vanpool.
* Care for your car. Keep it properly maintained.
* Trip chain more often. Go to the post office, video store and grocery in one trip instead of three.
* Don't top off the tank and make sure the gas cap is sealed.
* Drive smooth and easy.
For more information check out these Web sites: www.deq.state.mi.us/aqi/ozone.shtml or www.wmcac.org.
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