For immediate release: December 3, 2009 (09-191)
Contact:
Judy
Bardin, Environmental Epidemiology
360-236-3193
Gordon MacCracken,
Communications Office
360-236-2074
Winter fires may be cozy, but pollutants in smoke can damage health
Check air quality before planning strenuous outdoor activities
OLYMPIA - When winter weather rolls around, people like to spend time indoors with family
and friends. Frequently, that means enjoying a fire in the home fireplace — but
the smoke from that fire may be a health hazard for some people.
Winter is also the home heating season. Often, November through January bring
winter weather patterns that cause stagnant air. At these times, air pollution —
especially from wood stoves and fireplaces — is trapped near the ground, where
it collects. Smoke contains fine particles and gases that can be breathed deep
into the lungs. Such pollutants can threaten the health of people with heart
disease, asthma, and lung diseases, as well as children and older adults.
Breathing polluted air can cause short and long-term health problems. People
with heart and lung diseases may have symptoms sooner than healthy adults. Older
adults often have unrecognized heart or lung disease that puts them at risk.
Children spend more time outdoors, where they can breathe air pollution.
Children’s lungs are more easily damaged because they’re still developing.
When people are active, they breathe more deeply and more often, which increases
the amount of air pollution they breathe in. The level of air pollution that
causes health problems is different for each person. For some, a simple activity
such as walking the dog may cause difficulty while others may not be affected
until they do heavier activity like yard work or running.
Often air pollution can’t be seen or smelled, so it’s hard to judge air
pollution levels. Be sure to check air quality before taking part in outdoor
activities, especially if you’re in a high-risk group.
Learn more about how air
quality conditions can affect your health
(http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/smokefactsheet.pdf) and what to take into account
when you plan
outdoor activities (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/pubs/outdoorair.pdf).
Information on air
quality conditions (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.htm) can
be found on the state Department of Ecology Web site or online at one of
seven local clean air
agencies (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/local.html). Updates on air
quality are available by subscribing to the American Lung Association of
Washington “Breathe
Easy Network” (www.alaw.org/air_quality/e-forecast_service). Color-coded
information on these sites lists air quality in different zones going from good
(green) to hazardous (maroon). Plan outdoor activities for days when air quality
is in the “good” or green zone.
###
