Human Health Effects
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Ozone can inflame the lung’s lining. These photos show a healthy lung air way (left) and an inflamed lung air way (right). Photos courtesy of EPA.
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Breathing ground-level ozone can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Ozone also can reduce lung function and inflame the lining of the lungs. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue.
Healthy people also experience difficulty breathing when exposed to ozone pollution. Because ozone can mostly effectively form in warm and sunny weather, anyone who spends time outdoors in the summer may be affected, particularly children, outdoor workers, and people exercising. Some people who don't fall into any of these categories may also find themselves sensitive to ozone.
For detailed information about how ozone affects human health, go to
EPA's "Health Effects of Ozone in the General Population" web page.
Ozone can reduce lung function, making it more difficult to breathe deeply and quickly. Those with lung diseases, children, outdoor workers, and those who exercise outdoors should reduce activity levels or stay indoors when ozone levels are elevated.
Environmental Effects
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Signs of ozone damage include flecking, stippling, bronzing and reddening on plant leaves. Photo courtesy of USDA
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Ozone damages vegetation by entering microscopic leaf openings called stomata and oxidizing (burning) plant tissue during respiration. This damages the plant leaves, interfering with the photosynthesis process and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide the plants can process and release as oxygen.
Elevated levels of ozone can also lead to reduced agricultural crop and commercial forest yields, reduced growth and survivability of tree seedlings, and increased susceptibility to diseases, pests, and other stresses such as harsh weather.
Yield Loss Caused by Ozone
Historically, elevated ozone concentrations were thought to harm soybeans more than corn. EPA's April 2020 Integrated Science Assessment [ISA] for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants cites research revealing a different and unexpected result, finding that ozone had a greater impact on maize (corn) than soybeans. Yield losses in the field averaged over the analyzed time period (1980 to 2011) were approximately 10% for maize and 5% for soybeans.