Spare the Air Alert Issued For Wednesday

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a "Spare the Air" alert for Wednesday, warning of unhealthy pollution levels and asking residents to take public transit.

Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the air district, said high temperatures and light winds are hurting air quality in the Bay Area this week.

District officials explained that car exhaust, industrial emissions and household chemicals contain volatile organic compounds that can combine with oxygen in the heat and create ground-level ozone.

"As hot weather returns to the Bay Area, it's important that residents continue to do their part to reduce pollution by carpooling, taking public transit, going easy on energy use and making other clean-air choices," Broadbent said in a statement.

Wednesday will be the region's eighth Spare the Air alert of the year, according to the district.

—By Bay City News Service