Mid-America Regional Council issues orange air quality alert for Tuesday in Kansas City area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mid-America Regional Council issued an orange air quality alert for the Kansas City area Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

MARC stated in a news release that ground-level ozone will be the main pollutant.

There are ways to lower the ozone levels, including carpooling, riding a bike to work (maybe not for everyone), and delaying or combining errands.

Activities that add to ground-level ozone levels are putting gasoline in a vehicle or topping off the gas tank while the vehicle is running.

Additionally, not only the blistering heat, but the increase in ozone levels when using gasoline-powered lawn equipment, may be the perfect reasons not to mow the lawn on Tuesday.

The elderly, people with chronic heart and lung conditions, and young children should be monitored to make sure the heat and the ozone levels don't cause health problems.

The Mid-America Regional Council, which serves nine counties and 119 cities, is a nonprofit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bistate Kansas City region, according to its website.

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