PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for Pittsburgh.
The alert goes into effect on Tuesday.
A Code Orange alert means sensitive groups of people, including older adults, children and people with respiratory conditions, may have a harder time outside because of an increase in fine particulate matter in the air.
Anyone who falls into those groups is encouraged to avoid heavy outdoor activity while the alert is in place.
DEP officials said the increase in air pollutants will occur because of a “temperature inversion.”
According to the National Weather Service, that is when warmer air sits on top of cooler air. Since warm air rises, the air under the inversion cannot escape, causing pollution to get trapped.
Other people within the community are asked to help reduce air pollution by:
- Reducing or eliminating fireplace and wood stove use
- Avoiding the open burning of leaves, trash, and other materials; and
- Avoiding the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment
Residents can monitor the air quality in their community by visiting AirNow.com.
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