Code Orange air quality alert declared for several western Pennsylvania counties on Monday

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declared a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for the Pittsburgh area on Monday because of ozone.

This alert includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Officials say mostly sunny skies, light winds and high temperatures will likely contribute to 8-hour average concentrations of ozone on Monday.

On air quality action days, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

Residents and businesses within the Air Quality Action Day areas are strongly encouraged to voluntarily help reduce ozone air pollution by:

• Driving less by carpooling or using public transportation;
• Combining errands to reduce vehicle trips;
• Limiting engine idling;
• Refueling cars and trucks after dusk; and
• Conserve electricity by setting air conditioning to a higher temperature and turning off lights that are not in use.

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