Higher ozone levels return to Wasatch Front

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Higher levels of ozone gas are making a return to the Wasatch Front.

The Utah Division of Air Quality is raising an ozone alert – asking people to voluntarily limit driving – across Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder and Tooele counties.

The EPA says ground-level ozone is bad for people, crops and trees. Doctors say ozone can cause respiratory and heart problems. Scientists say ozone is driven by chemical reactions in sunlight from tailpipe emissions.

Stagnant conditions make it worse.

Ozone levels were up to 78 parts per billion on Monday, just above the health limit.

Utah’s air quality monitor, Bo Call, defines ozone as a colorless gas produced by smog.

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