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State issues air quality alert for W. Mass.

Print | Comments () Posted by Martin Finucane January 25, 2011 04:38 PM

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By Jenna Duncan, Globe Correspondent

In what might seem an unusual occurrence in the winter, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection today issued an air quality warning for the Springfield area, saying the atmosphere had been fouled by too many people burning wood.

The warning, which will last until Wednesday morning, means the air is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

“This is not unusual, unfortunately,” said DEP spokesman Joe Ferson. “It does happen in the wintertime with a lot of wood burning in the western part of the state as opposed to coastal areas that have a better mix of air flow.”

Throughout the day, levels of fine air particles have been above average, and an alert was issued around 10 a.m. Conditions are expected to return to a moderate level as precipitation comes in Wednesday and disperses the fine particles. The particles include soot, dust, and smoke, Ferson said.

The particles in the air will not bother most people, said Ann Ottalagana, manager of health promotion and public policy at the American Lung Association in Massachusetts. She and the ALA are mainly concerned about those with pre-existing lung conditions inhaling the particles.

“The dangers come from when people breath in the small particles and they can get deep down into the lungs and aggravate conditions like asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease),” she said.

Ottalagana, who works out of Springfield where the alert was issued, said another contributing factor could be the town’s location in Pioneer Valley, where particles can easily be trapped.