In winter, a weather phenomenon that often looks like a grey cloud hovering over a city can trap pollution and seriously threaten our health. Known as an inversion, the weather event occurs when a layer of warmer air traps colder air below, holding the emissions that cause air pollution in the valley. The longer the inversion, the more the pollutants from industries, businesses, homes, and vehicles accumulate.
In certain geographic areas, such as Salt Lake City, the mountains form a bowl which doesn’t allow for the particulate matter to escape, causing more pollutants to collect. This is what we see in the air, which worsens over time.
Inversion and Your Health
Particulate matter—PM2.5—is the culprit in respiratory irritation during inversions. The 2.5 refers to the particles' size in micrometers, fine enough to infiltrate deeply into our lungs. Pollution from an inversion comes from these airborne particulates, not gases. The pollution can’t leave but continues to accumulate until a new storm cycle or wind blows the warm air away.
About 6.7 million deaths are associated with air pollution, according to the World Health Organization. Poor air quality is especially hard on people with health conditions, such as heart or lung disease, asthma, as well as on pregnant women, young children, and older adults.
“Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution causes problems,” says Robert Paine, MD, a pulmonary and critical care physician at University of Utah Health. “Long-term exposure can cause many different health problems and earlier death. But we also know that if people are exposed to air pollution for even a short time, physiological changes can lead to worsening lung function and acute cardiac events.”
Other health consequences of air pollution include:
- Hospitalization rates for those who suffer from asthma are higher in areas where air quality is poorest.
- Increased risk of developing cancer.
- Increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, such as low-birth weight and pre-term birth.
- Studies have linked poor air quality to pneumonia, bronchitis, increased hospital visits, and absences from school or work due to health issues.
How to Stay Healthy During Inversions
On days when air pollution is poor, it’s best to stay indoors as much as possible. This is particularly important for people in high-risk groups: young children, senior citizens, those with heart or lung disease, and pregnant women.
- Avoid exercising outdoors. On days when air pollution is at its worst, bring your workout inside. Exercising causes you to breathe more deeply and more pollution to deposit in your lungs; you don't want this.
- Limit your children's outdoor playtime. Limit or keep activities inside when pollution levels are high. Check with your child’s school to make sure they have an indoor recess program designed for such days.
- If you are in a high-risk group, pay attention to the air quality. Use your medications as ordered by your health care provider. If you have worsening symptoms, especially breathlessness or chest pain, seek medical attention.
What You Can Do to Reduce Pollutants
Paine urges everyone to question how we contribute to air pollution and how we can decrease our contribution to improve air quality. He offers these suggestions for safeguarding our health:
- Check air quality levels. Get in the habit of checking weather conditions every day, especially in the winter when the sky is foggy or hazy.
- Limit fireplace use. A University of Utah study shows that burning wood emits thousands of times more particulate matter than natural gas and contributes to inversions.
- Don't drive on peak inversion days. Carpool, combine trips, or use public transportation. If you do drive, don’t idle your car.
- Review your community's air pollution plans. Support state and local efforts to clean up the air.
