Smog affects human health, the environment, wildlife, building materials and textiles. Seniors, children, pregnant women, people with heart and lung problems, those with asthma, smokers, people who exercise outdoors and those with allergies are at greatest risk from smog.

If you are a SENIOR, smog can:

• Aggravate your asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis symptoms
• Decrease your lung’s working capacity and make you more tired
• Increase your risk of getting sick by reducing your system’s ability to fight infections

I have a CHILD. How will smog affect my child’s health?

• Children are more susceptible to respiratory effects of smog such as wheezing and coughing
• Because children breathe more and faster than adults, more harmful chemicals can enter your child’s lungs
• More smog will enter your child’s lungs since children often breathe through their mouth rather than their nose. Unlike the mouth, the nose has a natural filtering system which reduced the amount of harmful chemicals
• Children are more susceptible since they spend more time outdoors
• Smog may make your child more susceptible to infection by reducing the ability of the child’s respiratory system to fight-off infection. Even without smog, children are more susceptible to infection
• Symptoms of asthma and allergies can be aggravated by smog

What if I have a HEART or LUNG condition? How will smog affect my health?

• Smog may worsen your asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis symptoms
• Your lung’s working capacity may be reduced making you more tired and your breathing more difficult
• Your respiratory system’s ability to fight infection may be reduced making you more susceptible to infection

You can find more information on the health impacts of smog on the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care website.