OEC Webinar: Air Quality & Your Health (part 1) - Erica Fetty & Sarah VanderWielen

Where Does It Come From and How Is It Tracked?

Presented by Erica Fetty and Sarah VanderWielen

Where Does Ozone Come From?

• Ozone is not directly emitted into the atmosphere • Ozone is composed of Nitrogen Oxides and

Volatile Organic Compounds in the presents of sunlight• Because ozone forms in the air, it often shows up

downwind from the sources

Sources of NOx

• Each year the US emits approximately 19.4 million metric tons of nitrogen oxides • Cars, Trucks, and Boats• Fuel Combustion• Power Generation (fossil fuel)• Lightning• Forest Fires

Sources of NOx

VOCs

Types• Formaldehyde• Benzene• Toluene• Xylene • Acetone

Sources• Paint• Air Fresheners• Tobacco• Dry Cleaning Chemicals• Glues• Household cleaners• Gasoline

Future of Ozone

• EPA expects NO2 concentrations will continue to decrease in the future as a result of a number of mobile source regulations that are taking effect. • Tier 2 standards for light-duty vehicles began phasing in during

2004, and new NOx standards for heavy-duty engines are phasing in between 2007 and 2010 model years.

• Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati metropolitan areas are currently non-attainment for 2008 Ozone Standard of 75 ppb.

Where Does PM Come From?

PM 2.5 comes from a wide variety of combustion activities• Fires • Power Generation• Cars, Trucks, Buses • Off-Road Vehicles

http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php

How PM 2.5 Forms • Emitted directly from sources like fires • Indirect chemical reactions happen in the

atmosphere when sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides are emitted• Chemical reactions account for the most fine particle pollution

• Power plants, tailpipes

http://www.baaqmd.gov/Divisions/Planning-and-Research/Particulate-Matter.asp

Future of PM 2.5

• 1997 Annual Standard of 15.0 µg/m3

• Waiting on areas to be redesignated attainment

• 2006 24-Hour Standard of 35 µg/m3

• Waiting on areas to be redesignated attainment

• 2013 Annual Standard of 12.0 µg/m3

• December 2013: State designation due• August 2014: U.S. EPA publish purposed designations

for public comment• December 2014: Final designation

Emissions Inventories

• Facilities that have the potential to emit certain amounts of air pollution are required to apply for and obtain a state-federal operating permit and pay emission fees• Permit establishes permitted allowable emission rates• Major facilities must submit actual emission reports every year• Synthetic Minor facilities report every year • True Minor facilities report every two years

Emissions Inventories

• Ohio EPA data available for download• Point sources• Coal burning reports

• http://epa.ohio.gov/dapc/aqmp/eiu/eis.aspx

• U.S. EPA emissions inventories • http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/eiinformation.html

Ohio EPA Inventories

Inventory Report

Monitoring • Ohio has one of the most extensive monitoring

networks in the county • Ozone • 49 monitors • Parts per billion • Monitored hourly

• Particulate Matter• 38 PM monitors • Micrograms per cubic meter• Air filters collected and reviewed at lab

• http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/gis/mapportal/

Ohio Ozone Sites

Ozone 2011-2013

Ohio PM 2.5 Sites

PM 2.5 Annual 2010-2012

Questions Erica.Fetty@epa.state.oh.us

Sarah.VanderWielen@epa.oh.us

THANK YOU!