On June 9, 2022, the Larimer County Department of Health & Environment provided an overview of air quality in Larimer County, including the sources and contributors to ground-level ozone, potential health impacts of poor outdoor air quality, public health’s role in addressing air quality issues, and information about how residents can help improve air quality in Larimer County. View the recording here.
A EPA downgrade from serious to severe violator will require implementation of several new measures aimed at reducing air pollution;
- Gas stations in the Northern Front Range will be required to sell cleaner-burning gasoline. Many expect this change to be enacted in summer 2024.
- The threshold for when a business must obtain a permit and control their emissions will be lowered, resulting in just under 500 new sources that will face stricter controls.
- Requirements for those with existing permits become more stringent.
- Additional resources for staff, monitoring equipment, and pollution reduction programs will become available as a result of the downgrade.
Ground level ozone or "bad" ozone is not emitted directly into the air but is created by chemical reactions between NOx and VOCs in the presence of health and sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Gas powered lawn equipment contributes roughly half of the ozone producing pollutants as all of the light duty vehicles, and newer electric versions are convenient and quiet.
The Sources of Air Pollution
A number of sources – activities that cause pollution to be emitted into the air – contribute to poor air quality and ground-level ozone formation.
- Mobile sources – such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains
- Stationary sources – such as power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories
- Area sources – such as agricultural areas, cities, and wood burning fireplaces
- Natural sources – such as wind-blown dust, wildfires
Regionally, transportation-related emissions make up a little more than half of our regions NOx, and around 30% of the VOC contributions. Regionally, 28% of NOx and 44% of VOC contributions are from oil and gas production.
The largest contributor of NOx and VOCs in Larimer County is transportation, at 70% and 55%.
In areas of poor air quality, children and the elderly are most vulnerable to health effects.
- Eyes, nose, and throat irritation
- Shortness of breath, decrease in lung function
- Can make asthma and other respiratory symptoms worse
- Increase in ER and Urgent Care visits with increase in ozone
In partnership with the State’s Air Pollution Control Division, we have six additional sites monitoring for ozone this summer in Bellvue, Fort Collins, Livermore, and Loveland. The data from these temporary sites will be evaluated to determine if more permanent regulatory monitoring sites would be beneficial to the modeling of air pollution in our area.
A major contributor to air pollution that can easily be overlooked are our gas powered small engines. Lawn mowers, trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws. This equipment typically is not equipped with emission controls like most vehicles do and we are working on expanding the regional program for replacement of this equipment to more Larimer County residents.
Finally, our staff are trained to identify violations at these facilities, respond quickly to reports of odors, and work closely with the state on enforcement. In several cases we have worked with the state to add additional monitoring equipment in the area where a complaint has been received to help investigate the issue.
What are the concerns with wildfire smoke?
- Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles that can cause a number of breathing and respiratory issues.
- The primary concern with wildfire smoke is fine particulates
Are N95 masks effective at protecting me from smoke?
- The best solution is to remain indoors and provide high-efficiency air filtration, but if you must be outside a tightly fitting N95 or P100 respirator can provide some benefit.
Who is sensitive to wildfire smoke?
- People with lung disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or current or recent respiratory infections.
- People older than 65 due to increased risk of lung disease or younger than 18 with lungs still developing.
- People who smoke.
- Outdoor workers with higher exposures.
What should I do to protect myself from smoke?
- Stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed.
- Relocate to areas less impacted by smoke.
- Use air conditioning to keep cool and filter air.
- Put HVAC systems into recirculate mode to reduce bringing in additional smoke.
- Use a portable air cleaner set to the highest speed to filter indoor air.
- Avoid strenuous activities to reduce breathing in smoke.
- If you must be outside, an N95 mask or P100 respirator that fits tightly may provide some benefit.
- If driving during a smoke event, use the Recirculate Air button in your car.
What if I don’t have air conditioning and it’s too hot to keep doors and windows closed?
- Put HVAC systems into recirculate mode to reduce bringing in additional smoke.
- Use a portable air cleaner set to the highest speed to filter indoor air.
What can commercial buildings do to improve indoor air quality?
- Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.
- Run HVAC systems on recirculate mode and limit intake of fresh air into the building.
- Upgrade filters on HVAC systems to higher efficiency models, MERV 13 or higher.
- Consider using low-cost sensors to monitor indoor particulate matter to measure the effectiveness of filters and HVAC systems.
Where can I get information on smoke levels in my area?
- The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map shows the areas impacted by smoke as well as current particulate levels based on air quality monitors in the area.
- Fire and Smoke Map
