EPA and Ozone

• Good Up High, Bad Nearby
• Ground level ozone
  • Ozone near the ground is considered pollution by the EPA and is regulated
• Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners
  • EPA does not recommend, or regulate ozone generators, it does offer safety information
• Ozone Air Quality Standards
  • Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of “sensitive”
• populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly.
  • Secondary Standards set limits to protect public welfare, including protection against visibility impairment, damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings

The regulations the EPA puts on ozone as a pollutant are as follows:

• Ozone 0.08 ppm 8-hour
• Ozone 0.12 ppm 1-hour

Any ozone levels above those levels is considered dangerous by the EPA.

For information directly from the EPA go HERE

The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences.  Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures.

Important Government Standards

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires ozone output of indoor medical devices to be no more than 0.05 ppm.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) requires that workers not be exposed to an average concentration of more than 0.10 ppm for 8 hours.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an upper limit of 0.10 ppm, not to be exceeded at any time.

EPA‘s National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone is a maximum 8 hour average outdoor concentration of 0.08 ppm (see: the Clean Air Act)

Ozone Solutions

Ozone Solutions recommends that all ozone systems be designed with proper mechanisms to dispose of excess ozone and detect ozone leaks.  Additionally, residential and commercial ozone shock treatments for odor removal should be performed in the absence of humans or animals to avoid exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone.

An ozone treatment can be used to remove or reduce agents such as residual smoke or mold spores that aggravate breathing problems.  However, people with serious breathing issues, such as asthma, should not be around ozone gas and should avoid any area where an ozone shock treatment has been performed in the last 24 hours.

More Information

For more information about ozone and health click here.

By upgrading their ozone disinfection system, Springfield will accomplish several goals. Perhaps of most concern to area residents is that City’s disinfection capacity will be increased by 50%. This increased capacity will improve downstream water-quality in both Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo. In addition, the project is expected to create 30 jobs until its expected completion in 2012.

The increased efficiency of the new ozone system is expected to decrease energy consumption by $4 million over 20 years. Maintenance costs will also be reduced, for a savings of $2 million over 20 years.

The groundbreaking is to be held at Springfield’s Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant (SWWTP), beginning at 11:30 am. Attendees are expected to include Congressman Roy Blunt, as well as several state and regional representatives of the DNR and EPA.

Springfield, MO Southwest Water Treatment Plant

The Springfield SWWTP was originally constructed in 1959 and has gone through several major upgrades since then. It currently removes 70,000 pounds of pollutants from wastewater per day and is capable of treating 42.5 million gallons of wastewater per day (continually) or up to 90 millions per day (over brief periods). You can find more information at the following link: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/sanitary/southwest.html

For further information on ozone use in wastewater treatment, refer to the following sources:
Ozone Vs. Chlorine in Water
Ozone Injection Systems
Ozone Color Removal
Ozone Effect on Bacteria, Mold and Viruses

Ozone has a proven track record of killing bacteria, reducing metals, and removing dirty color from water sources and the Lindero Creek project was no exception.  Compared to chlorine systems, ozone is 3,000 times more effective at sanitizing water and uses no chemicals.  The result is a cleaner creek, providing a healthier habitat with fewer pests.

The Agoura Hills project is part of a larger, state-wide movement in California to start thinking of rainwater runoff as a resource and not a problem that should just be funneled away.  Recent laws such as California SB 790 (the Stormwater Resource Planning Act) helps to provide grants for municipalities looking to implement treatment systems – meaning that more cities might be implementing ozone projects in the near future.

For further information, refer to the links below:
EPA’s Clean Water Act
City of Agoura Hills, CA