Smog

The word smog is a word that was coined in England to describe the combination of smoke and fog. In Ontario we experience a different kind of smog composed mainly of ozone and fine particles. Smog affects everyone and its components aggravate a wide range of health problems. The most common symptoms of exposure to high concentrations of smog are, coughing, wheezing and tightness of the chest. People most vulnerable to the affects of smog are the elderly, people with cardiac or respiratory problems, children and healthy adults who are highly sensitive to ozone. Children are especially affected by smog as they often play vigorously outside and as they need more oxygen for their size, they breathe faster.

For more information on Ontario's Air Quality Index and other fact sheets on Smog, click the link on the right.