Historic heat this weekend may affect air quality in the Eugene-Springfield area. That’s because the heat, combined with sunlight and pollutants can create ozone.
“Which is a secondary pollutant,” Said Travis Knudsen with Lane Regional Air Protection Agency. And what we mean by secondary pollutant is it’s something that forms in the atmosphere when we have pollutants that are created from vehicles, industry, sort of fuel combustion, which are things called VOC, or volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide.”
Knudsen says the ozone could degrade air quality to the moderate range or even to unhealthy for sensitive groups. He recommends avoiding use of gas-powered mowers, leaf blowers or gas vehicles during the heat of the day. That will help reduce the effects on air quality.
