People exposed to ozone can experience fatigue, shortness of breath, or pain during deep breaths. Those at greatest risk are those who exercise heavily during periods of peak ozone concentrations, children, the elderly, and those with existing lung or immune system problems. Ozone's wide-ranging effects Breezes often blow pollution from urban areas toward rural areas and the mountains. In fact, the Department of Ecology's ozone monitoring program has recorded its highest readings in the Cascade foothills. Because of the way ozone moves through the air, people downwind from urban areas during clear weather can be exposed to unhealthful concentrations of ozone.
Ozone can also harm vegetation.
The downwind areas that experience high ozone concentrations include some of western Washington's agricultural areas. The U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service report that ozone has damaged trees, moss, and lichens in Mt. Rainier National Park and in Cascade forests and wilderness areas. Damage to materials attributed to ozone includes cracking of rubber products, weakening of textiles, changes in dyes, and premature cracking of paint. The Washington Clean Air Act adopted in 1991 required the Department of Ecology to decrease the amount of ozone in the air around us through motor vehicle emission checks, reduction of traffic and the use of single-occupancy vehicles, research into and use of alternative fuels and a permit program for industrial facilities. In addition to these activities, Ecology and local air pollution control agencies have been pursuing strategies to control nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, the main ingredients of ozone.