INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Office of Sustainability is issuing a Knozone Action Day for Sunday due to poor air quality caused by smoke from Canada wildfires.
This is the sixteenth Knozone Action Day declared so far in 2023. To protect residents and local air quality, the Office of Sustainability issues Knozone Action Days when levels of certain pollutants rise above acceptable thresholds.
Active Children, the elderly and people with asthma, COPD, heart diseasee, or COVID are urged to avoid time spent outdoors today.
It is also recommended that sensitive groups refrain from activities that degrade indoor air quality such as burning candles and vacuuming.
Additionally, the Office says cloth face masks or traditional surgical masks do not provide adequate protection from smoke. The EPA recommends "particulate respirators" that have been tested and approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). It will have the words "NIOSH" and either "N95" or "P100" printed on it. If driving, select the air recirculation button to effectively cut off the outside air to the inside of the car, ‘recirculating’ air inside your vehicle.
Every day, and especially on Knozone Action Days, residents are encouraged to reduce their contribution to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) through these simple actions:
• Never burn trash, furniture, leaves, or grass clippings. Burning these items is always illegal in Marion County and punishable by fines up to $2,500. If you encounter illegal open burning, utilize the RequestIndy mobile app or website or call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622. If it's an emergency, call 911.
• Avoid campfires, bonfires, and barbecues until the air quality returns to healthy levels. The rules and regulations for open burning are available on the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services' website.
• Sign up for air quality alerts at smogwatch.in.gov or by utilizing the EPA's AirNow website or mobile app Residents can follow @SustainIndy on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram for reminders about Knozone Action Days and tips on how to increase positive and decrease negative individual impact on our environment.
For more information on how to help improve Central Indiana’s air quality, visit https://knozone.com/actionday
