We are asked to stop producing ozone because it is unhealthy and causes damage to plants and materials. At the same time we are told to worry about the earth's ozone layer being depleted. Ground-level ozone is a primary contributor to smog. Ozone is a highly reactive chemical. It can irritate the lungs causing respiratory ailments.
Ozone can affect plants, impacting forests and damaging food crops.
Ozone also damages materials causing textiles to weaken, rubber to deteriorate, dyes to fade, and paint to crack. Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set a new ozone ambient air quality standard at 0.08 ppm O 3 not to be exceeded over 8-hour averaging times. The new air quality standard is low enough that global background ozone levels can make a substantial contribution to whether or not the standard is exceeded in some locations. Our ozone passive monitor is housed in a thin plastic enclosure about the size of the radiation badges worn by x-ray technicians. The front of the small plastic enclosure consists of a porous Teflon wind screen through which ambient ozone diffuses.