An air quality alert is in effect for Friday, May 18, according to the Mid America Regional Council.
Outdoor Air Quality Index, or AQI, values in excess of 100 are expected, with ozone as the primary pollutant. It is an orange ozone alert.
To promote healthy air quality, RideKC will cut the cost of riding the bus in half when an ozone alert is issued. Riding the bus instead of driving will cut emissions from vehicles. Area transit providers will offer 75-cent bus rides during ozone alerts.
Avoid activities which lead to ozone formation, according to MARC. These include refueling vehicles or topping off when refueling idling vehicles unnecessarily and using gasoline-powered lawn equipment.
Recommended are car pooling, biking to work, delaying or combining errands and using water-based paints and cleaners.
MARC recommended that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects. Those who are especially sensitive may include the very young, those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma or heart disease.