Tagged: air pollution

There was no Air Quality Alert in effect yesterday, but ozone levels were unexpectedly high.

High levels of ozone were detected at air monitors at Buckner, Cannons Lane, Watson Lane and New Albany. All the levels detected were in the range that's unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Louisville's Air Pollution Control District has fined Louisville Gas and Electric for several violations at the Cane Run Power Station in southwest Louisville.

The summer has just begun, and Louisville has already seen dangerously high levels of ozone pollution on thirteen days. Scientists are predicting that ozone could become an even bigger problem as average temperatures rise.

Ozone is created when pollution from cars and smokestacks cooks in summer heat. Louisville’s seen a lot of it lately, and nearly every week there’s been at least one warning that the air outside could be unhealthy for at least some people.

There’s an air quality alert in effect today, but that’s for ozone. Louisville’s air quality monitors showed spikes in another type of pollution last night, as fireworks were going off around the city.

Air Pollution Control District spokesman Tom Nord says the fireworks caused spikes in several area air pollution monitors.

“We’re already having problems with ozone, and we did have another exceedance yesterday for ozone,” Nord said. “But fireworks are mostly a particulate matter issue, it’s mostly a soot issue.”

The Louisville Air Pollution Control District has issued an Air Quality Alert for Friday. Ozone levels are expected to be high enough to be unhealthy for everyone--a 156 on the Air Quality Index. This is the fourth Air Quality Alert issued so far this week, and the 17th so far this summer.

For hourly air quality updates, call (502) 574-3319.