Simple actions like these can go a long way toward curbing summertime air pollution in Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The more fuel that is spilled and the more fumes that escape into the atmosphere, because we aren't quite as careful as we could be, add up to higher pollution levels that adversely affect our health.
Evaporative emissions are an ingredient in the formation of ground-level ozone pollution.
Ozone is formed when other types of pollution react with each other photochemically in the presence of sunlight. The result is a particularly dangerous form of air pollution that affects the elderly, the very young, those with respiratory ailments like asthma and even typically healthy adults who exercise or work outdoors. Ground-level ozone can make breathing difficult and affect the lungs' ability to function. Other symptoms include stinging eyes and throats, chest pains and coughing. Ground-level ozone is not to be confused with the protective ozone layer high above the Earth's surface.