Taking a breath outdoors is akin to inhaling a cigarette puff.
Breathing the smoke-filled air in New York City for just three hours on Thursday could be equivalent to smoking 2.5 cigarettes, according to an expert’s alarming revelation.
The air in New York City has reached “unhealthy” levels, a consequence of wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada and the Great Lakes. This has led officials to advise residents to stay indoors for their safety.
“It’s fair to say that merely breathing the air in New York City today is like smoking ten cigarettes,” Michael Petroni, a seasoned pollution expert and former EPA employee, shared with The Post regarding spending an entire day outside.
All five boroughs have been under an Air Quality Health Advisory since Wednesday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been stuck between 151 and 200 — significantly above the 0-50 range that is considered “good,” as stated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
That means there are “unhealthy” levels of dust, dirt, soot, smoke and other toxins in the air that New Yorkers would typically only ingest by lighting a few cigarettes.
“The rule of thumb is about 20 AQI points for a whole day equals one cigarette,” explained Petroni, who worked for the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
While it may not sound nefarious, that exposure could be chipping away at New Yorkers’ lifespans.
The AQI measures particulate matter, which includes toxins ranging from heavy metals to aerosol droplets and other carcinogens that are invisible to the naked eye.
“They get into your bloodstream because they’re so small and they wreak havoc on your immune system. Over time, that adds up and it increases your likelihood of cancer, of heart disease,” said Petroni, who is currently working on an app that measures the air quality on a day-to-day basis.
Short term stays outdoors can also pose risks, he continued.
New Yorkers can expect itchy eyes, lethargy, inflammation, mucus build-up, headaches, shortness of breath and other symptoms.
“If you go for a run today, you’re gonna notice it really hard. You’re not gonna be able to run as fast. You’re gonna get tired very quickly. Your heart’s gonna race … Your body’s just trying to rush to like clear it all out, and it can’t very quickly,” said Petroni.
The good news is that New Yorkers can reduce their risk by simply staying indoors.
Air purification systems and air conditioning units can clear out the polluted air.
The city is also giving out free K95 masks to those who need to venture outdoors — the masks have up to a 95% pollution prevention rate, said Petroni.