Kansas City under ozone alert on Thursday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City area will be under an ozone alert on Thursday..

The alert was issued by The Mid-America Regional Council Air Quality Program, which cited an unhealthy amount of ground-level smog as the reason.

The ground-level ozone, or smog, has been associated with eye, nose and throat irritation and in higher concentrations asthma, bronchitis and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and decreased liver function.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects caused by the smog because of their still-developing respiratory defenses.

Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to air pollution, which is why officials are warning against leaving car engines running on Thursday.

Instead of idling in a car, MARC officials suggest turning off the engine and seeking shade outside of your car. They said drivers can waste up to $200 per year on gasoline just by leaving a car idling for 30 minutes, five days a week.