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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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Thousands of people across a part of Georgia—including the cities of Fitzgerald and Waycross—have been urged to stay indoors.
This is because a pocket of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) has reached an “unhealthy” level, as of Wednesday, March 11, at 4 a.m. ET, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow map, which measures and communicates air quality across America.
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What People Experiencing Poor Air Quality Should Do
When air quality reaches “unhealthy” levels, everyone in the area could be affected, especially those in sensitive groups, including the elderly, children, and those with existing heart or lung medical conditions.
All impacted members of the public should, therefore, take steps to reduce their exposure to the poor air, according to the EPA. This includes either limiting the intensity or length of outdoor activities—for example, choosing walking over running—or avoiding outdoor exertion completely.
The EPA also advises residents to keep indoor air as clean as possible, including the air within their homes. They should use air purifiers, filters, or conditioners where possible, to circulate clean air through the house, and avoid house fans and swamp coolers that could bring the “unhealthy” air inside. Burning candles, incense, wood-burning stoves, and indoor fires should also be avoided until conditions improve.
What’s Causing Poor Air Quality Across Georgia?
Although the EPA hasn’t confirmed what’s causing elevated levels of fine particle pollution across this part of Georgia, PM2.5 can come from a variety of sources, including smoke from wildfires and smokestacks, windblown dust from unpaved roads and construction sites, or emissions from vehicles or chemical and industrial power plants.
What Is PM2.5, And Why Are Elevated Levels Considered “Unhealthy”?
The EPA considers PM2,5 to be one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution. This is because the particles are so fine—2.5 micrometers or less in size, which is smaller than the width of a single strand of hair—they can be easily inhaled, travelling deep into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially triggering or worsening existing health conditions such as asthma, or causing symptoms ranging from coughing and eye, nose, and throat irritation to chest tightness and shortness of breath.
What Happens Next?
Residents experiencing poor air quality are advised to monitor the EPA’s AirNow map for updates, as, like the weather, conditions can change rapidly.
How the EPA Measures Air Quality
The EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to measure the air quality across the nation. The AQI is a standardized scale that shows how clean or polluted the air is in a particular area, and how it may affect the public’s health.
The AQI runs from 0 to 500 — the higher the number, the worse the air quality and the greater the health risk:
- A score of 0–50 is “Good,” which means the air quality is ok, and poses little or no health risk to the public.
- A score of 51–100 is considered “Moderate,” meaning that air quality is acceptable, but some pollutants may affect very sensitive people. Most people can carry on as normal.
- A score of 101–150 is “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” so people in sensitive groups may start to feel adverse health effects, but the general public is less likely to be affected.
- A score of 151–200 is “Unhealthy,” meaning everyone may begin to experience health effects, and people are advised to reduce or avoid outdoor activity.
- A score of 201–300 is Very Unhealthy,” and there is an increased risk for everyone
- A score of 301–500 is “Hazardous,” which triggers an emergency health warning, as it means the air quality could cause serious health effects for the entire population.
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