Code Orange Air Quality Alerts are often issued during the summer months here in Baltimore. What exactly is a Code Orange?
The Code Orange Alert is based off of the Air Quality Index (AQI). It tells you how clean or polluted your air is and how it can affect you. The AQI is based off of five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. For each of these pollutants, the EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health.
The Code Orange means the air quality could become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include people with lung and heart disease, asthma sufferers, older adults and children. Those included in the sensitive groups will want to limit their outdoor time while Code Orange Air Quality Alerts are in effect.
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