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When the Pollutant Standards Index (PS1) it they do not have natural gas service or it w00D8URNING AND THE Is below 100, it is a GREEN day, and resi- they live above the 3,000 foot elevation. CONNECTION TO AIR QUALITY dents may burn using wood stoves or tire- ' rorn November to February, places. Clean burning is important nonethe- WHY oo WE HAVE A WINTER°I t F the San Joaquin Valley less, and may be done by following the using AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM? _ Unified Air Pollution Control the methods listed District asks residents to below. The San Joaquin Valley is surrounded by _ , voluntarily refrain from using . - Never overload the � `� mountains, providing a perfect setting for wood stoves and fireplaces on firebox or allow the temperature inversions. Cold air drops to the a Valley floor and is trapped by warm air travel- days when the air quality is fire to smolder. Ing over the mountains. This is like putting a projected to be unhealthy- Since about 10 Ild over the Valley which traps all of the percent of winter air poitulion in urban areas - Burn only seasoned pollutants in the cold air mass. is caused by residential wood burning, you wood. Much of our winter pollution problem is can have a major Impact in improving air - Never burn green wood, plastics, color caused by these temperature inversions quality in your neighborhood simply by listen- newsprint or magazines, mik cartons, tires, which hold air pollutants close to the Valley Ing for information about daily air quality and rubber products, chemically treated Items or floor In the layer of air that we breathe. The iollawing directions. garbage_ pollution does not rise or leave the Valley This voluntary program is part of Rule 4901 until the inversion breaks up. During winter (Residential Wood Burning), which was - Watch for chimney smoke. If you see these inversions can become very persistent, adopted by the District in July, 1993. The smoke after the first half hour after lighting and in some cases, can last several days. voluntary curtailment program was designed and refueling, adiust the dampers or air to reduce unhealthy woodsmoke concentra- Inlets. The darker the smoke, the more tions in densely populated residential areas, pollutants it contains. WHAT ARE THE HEALTH where healthy air Is needed most, and When the PST is between ICO and 160, the EFFECTS OF WOOD SMOKE? woodsmake is often worst, signal switches to 1 . I , since the air Wood smoke contains carbon monoxide, quality could impact human health. During Carbon monoxide is known to reduce the LOOK AND LISTEN FOR THE these episodes of unhealthy air, the District ability of blood to deliver oxygen to vital WOODBURNING TRAFFIC SIGNAL asks residents not to use woodburning tissues, affecting primarily the cardiovascular stoves or fireplaces which are not EFA/ and nervous systems. High concentrations The traffic signal is used to inform Valley Oregon certified or pellet stoves. can cause symptoms such as dizziness, residents about air quality in the Valley during . A RED day indicates that the PSI exceeds Headaches, fatigue and even death. the winter months. Specifically, the colors of 150, and air quality is unhealthful. On these Wood smoke also contains small paricu- GREEN, '01 �.r:;;1-, and RED alert the public days, the District will ask all individuals to late matter (PMS,). These particles can on the daily air quality statu�;.By watching for : refrain from wood-burning in their fireplaces include very fine droplets of condensed this air quality "signal," an TV weather bread- and stoves including those with EPA/Oregon- organic vapors (wood tars and gases) or casts or in !ocal nevrspaper% residents can certified or pellet stoves. unburned fuel that escapes from the fire. ]earn whether woodburning should be cur- Individuals are exempted from the voluntary Other smoke particles include soot and sash. '.,ailed. Information is also available by calling ; woodburning curtailment program if their sole When inhaled, these particles cart cause �anrn qAAr Na.rAIF(1