As Michigan welcomes the onset of its ozone season on March 1, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is gearing up to issue “Air Quality Advisories” to alert the public about potential harmful levels of pollution. This comes in the wake of a new report from the First Street Foundation, a non-profit research group, which highlights a concerning uptick in climate change-driven air pollution in the Great Lakes region, signaling more high ozone days ahead.
While the gains in air quality post-Clean Air Act seem to be diminishing due to climate change and local factors, the predicted increase in the Great Lakes is notably less severe compared to the threats faced by the western states, which are grappling with extended wildfire seasons. According to Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research at First Street Foundation, told Planet Detroit the disparity is significant, with areas like the Seattle and Portland metros potentially facing an additional two weeks of ozone and fine particulate matter pollution over the next 30 years, as opposed to Wayne County’s single additional day on top of its current ten days of poor air quality.
The report delineates a “poor air quality day” as any day that meets or surpasses the orange level of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index, indicating conditions “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” However, it’s worth noting that the study did not account for the impacts of Canadian wildfires, though Porter mentioned plans to include Canadian data in future models.
Last summer’s Canadian wildfires, exacerbated by human-caused climate change, produced some of the worst air quality globally, a phenomenon experts predict might recur every 20 to 25 years due to increasingly hot and dry conditions.
The First Street report also observes a nationwide reversal in air quality improvements since the Clean Air Act of 1970, attributing it to more frequent wildfires and hotter days conducive to ozone formation. “We improved the air quality with regulatory policies, but climate is starting to reverse that trend,” Porter remarked, highlighting that this issue is predominantly a concern in the Western regions due to wildfire-related particulate matter, while the Midwest and Northeast are facing ozone increases mainly due to heat.
Ozone, a pollutant formed through a reaction involving nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, heat, and sunlight, can cause respiratory issues and exacerbate conditions like asthma. With the Great Lakes’ abundant water sources contributing to nitrogen oxides through evaporation—a process likely to be amplified by a warming climate—the region could see an increase in ozone pollution.
Michigan’s ozone season, typically spanning March through October, might see an extension due to climate change, with last year marking metro Detroit’s earliest Ozone Action Day on April 15. Residents are advised to reduce driving, avoid refueling vehicles, and limit the use of gasoline-powered tools on high ozone days to mitigate pollution.
The report also raises concerns about the growing problem of wildfire smoke and its associated fine particulate matter, PM 2.5, in the eastern U.S. Despite the East’s lower exposure compared to the West, the population density makes the health impacts more pronounced, with a significant number of smoke-related asthma emergency room visits and deaths occurring in the East.
Given the health risks associated with PM 2.5, including cardiopulmonary issues and premature mortality, the report underscores the need for stringent air quality regulations, even in the face of pollution from “exceptional events” like wildfires. In 2023, the EPA recognized southeast Michigan as meeting federal ozone pollution guidelines for the first time since 2018, following EGLE’s successful appeal to exclude air quality data affected by wildfire smoke, highlighting the challenges in balancing regulatory standards with the realities of climate change-induced pollution.
Air pollution disproportionately affects Black communities, exacerbating health disparities and social inequalities. Studies have consistently shown that Black Americans are more likely to live in areas with high levels of air pollution, primarily due to historical housing policies and urban planning decisions that have placed these communities closer to industrial sites, highways, and other pollution sources. This exposure to elevated levels of pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and ozone has been linked to higher rates of asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and other respiratory conditions in Black populations. The cumulative effect of these health burdens contributes to the cycle of economic and health disparities, limiting access to healthcare, employment opportunities, and overall quality of life.
Moreover, the intersection of air pollution with other social determinants of health—such as access to quality healthcare, housing, and green spaces—further compounds the adverse effects on Black communities. The lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure and resources in these areas means that the health impacts of air pollution are often not addressed effectively, leading to a greater incidence of emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Environmental justice campaigns have highlighted these issues, advocating for policies that not only aim to reduce overall pollution levels but also specifically target the reduction of disparities in air quality. Ensuring cleaner air for Black communities is not just an environmental issue but a crucial step towards rectifying long-standing health inequities and fostering a more equitable society.
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