Ground-level ozone, the principal component of smog, is a particular problem in the hot summer months when emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds mix in the air and are ìcookedî by the sun.

Ozone exacerbates diseases like asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The American Lung Association estimates that 43 percent of the nearly 300,000 citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus Counties have been diagnosed with one or more of these illnesses.

Ozone can also negatively impact those who are otherwise healthy.

 Irritation of airways, inflammation of the lining of the lungs and increased susceptibility to respiratory infection are just a few of the symptoms attributed to persistent ozone exposure.