Air Quality Alerts: What You Need to Know

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued a warning for hazardous air quality due to ground-level ozone in the southern two-thirds of Minnesota. Ozone is a colorless gas formed when certain compounds in the air mix under intense sunlight, and it is a lung irritant linked with numerous health and environmental problems. Ground-level ozone tends to be a bigger issue in hotter parts of the country where the sun is more intense, but the right conditions can transpire to create hazardous quantities of ozone in places like the Upper Midwest. Individuals can limit their contributions to ozone pollution by using less electricity, traveling less, and not letting their car engines idle for long periods of time.