The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) this afternoon issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for fine particulate matter for Saturday in the Liberty-Clairton Area of Allegheny County which includes Clairton City, Glassport Borough, Liberty Borough, Lincoln Borough, and Port Vue Borough.
A strong temperature inversion supported by snow cover, along with very light to calm winds associated with a ridge of high pressure moving over Pennsylvania, will contribute to daily average concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Code Orange range, DEP said in a news release Friday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index (AQI) provides standardized color codes for forecasting and reporting daily air quality. Green signifies good air quality; Yellow means moderate air quality; Orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people; and Red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all.
An Air Quality Action Day is issued when the AQI is forecasted to be Code Orange or higher. On an air quality action day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.
GASP joins DEP in urging residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day area to voluntarily help reduce air pollution by:
• Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use • Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash and other materials • Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment