Ways Utahns can limit and prevent pollution as inversion takes hold in valleys

SALT LAKE CITY — People living in the valleys of Utah may have noticed a blanket of pollution in the sky on Monday.

“Holy cow, you couldn’t see any of the mountains from anywhere,” said Kalli Kronmiller, a Salt Lake City resident.

Residents noticed hazy skies.

“Will it just be like it is now? “Are we just going to be like breathing this filth into the air?” Kronmiller said. “I was definitely disappointed.”

Kerry Kelly of TELLUS Networked Sensor Solutions and associate professor at the University of Utah explains what an inversion is.

“This time of year, cold air moves into our valley and then warm, high-pressure air moves over it,” Kelly said. “It acts like a lid, trapping all the pollution we emit.”

To prevent bad air from getting worse, she advises Utahns to reduce emissions as much as possible, follow burn bans, avoid lighting candles or incense at home and consider a filter.

“They’re not that expensive – you can even build your own filter with a HEPA filter and a fan for about $50. Be sure to avoid smoking cigarettes and tobacco indoors,” Kelly said.

She says it’s important to implement changes for health reasons.

“Limit that exposure,” Kelly said. “Fine dust pollution is one of the main drivers of adverse health effects.”

There are some things you can do to hold back to avoid even more pollution.

“Vacuum or dust, as this leads to fine dust pollution. “So if you’re someone who doesn’t like cleaning, now is a good time to use that as an excuse,” Kelly said.

When it comes to pets, the Best Friends National Shelter Team recommends owners monitor air quality alert levels.

“We are in the yellow zone, which corresponds to moderate air quality – outdoor activities should be limited to around two hours per day,” said Dr. Colleen Guilfoyle of the Best Friends National Shelter Medicine Team. “And beyond that, an hour or less, and in the red category, we really should keep our pets and doors as much as possible.”

Pet owners may notice symptoms of sedentary pollution in their animals.

“Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and nasal discharge,” Guilfoyle said.

On days when air quality is particularly at risk, it is recommended that you and your pets exercise indoors.

“Keeping an eye on air quality, especially if you’re a sensitive person, for example if you have asthma or are elderly, that’s another thing you should do,” Kelly said.