Air Quality How can we reduce the level of air pollutants from, cars, trucks and buses in the city?

What do we know about air pollutants in Providence?

Currently, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management monitors air quality for the following air pollutants in Providence:

  1. Ground level ozone
  2. Nitrogen dioxide
  3. Sulfur dioxide
  4. Carbon monoxide
  5. Particulate matter

The air monitoring sites are located at Brown University’s Rockefeller Library, Dorrance Street, Fountain Street, Allens Avenue, and Prairie Street. Air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter are mostly a result of automobile, truck, or bus emissions in or around Providence.

 Did you Know?

What is Ozone?

  • Acute respiratory problems
  • Aggravated asthma
  • Inflammation of lung tissue
  • Temporary decrease in lung capacity
  • Impaired immune system defenses
Who is at Risk?
  1. Children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults, have developing respiratory systems that are more susceptible to environmental threats, are more likely to spend time exercising outdoors during the summer
  2. Asthmatic adults and children may experience more asthma attacks and require more medication, medical treatment, and hospital visits due to ozone exposure
  3. Healthy adults may experience 15-20% reductions in lung capacity even at low exposures to ozone. Repeated exposure can also cause lung tissue damage.

What are the risks to the natural environment from ozone?

  • Interference with plant growth, reproduction and overall health
  • Increase in plants’ susceptibility to disease, pests and environmental stresses
  • Reduction of the health of long-lived species like trees
  • Damage to leaves
Data on Ozone Levels

In Rhode Island, EPA monitors ozone concentrations in East Providence, West Greenwich, and Narragansett. Neither EPA nor DEM currently monitor ozone within the City of Providence, but concentrations measured in East Providence track closely with levels measured in previous years at Brown University. The ozone forecast can be found at http://www.state.ri.us/dem/ozone/ozoneday.htm.

 Did you Know?

In 1998, there were no exceedances of the one hour ozone standard in the Providence Ozone Planning Area. There were 5 days exceeding the 8 hour ozone standard in the State of Rhode Island in 1998.

*Refer to Environmental Health, Outdoor Air Quality section.
Strategies

RIPTA Ozone Alert Program: the Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Transportation, the Office of the Governor, and RIPTA have developed a program to provide free bus service on days when high levels of ozone are likely. By making buses free, the state hopes to reduce the use of automobiles and decrease ozone-forming NOx and VOC emissions.

The State budgets for a maximum of 15 Ozone Days each summer. Ozone Days occur when the state determines that weather conditions are likely to result in ozone exceedances.

 

Resources & Contacts

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1,                                                                                   Phone: 1-888-372-REG1                                                                                                                       Contact: Kristi Rea                                                                                                                   Internet/publications:

Fact Sheet: Health and Environmental Effects of Ground-Level Ozone (available at http://ttnwww.rtpnc.epa.gov/naaqsfin/o3health.htm

Map of daily ozone conditions: www.epa.gov/region01/eco/dailyozone/dailyozone.htm

www.epa.gov/region01/oms/

Air Quality Guide for Ozone: www.epa.gov/airnow

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Office of Air Resources                                 Phone: 222-2808

Daily ozone forecast: 1-800-858-3030, www.state.ri.us/dem/ozone/ozoneday.htm

 

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority www.ripta.com

Call 1-800-244-0444 or 401-781-9400 for more information on the Ozone Alert Program. For information on carpooling, call Express Travel at 1-888-88RIPTA.