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The State of Alaska has a potential for wintertime health
problems with Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the Anchorage and Fairbanks areas.
The health threat from exposure to CO is most serious for those who
suffer from cardiovascular disease, but at higher levels of exposure,
healthy individuals are also affected. Visual impairment, reduced work
capacity, reduced manual dexterity, poor learning ability, and difficulty
in performing complex tasks are all associated with exposure to elevated
CO levels.
Automobiles and trucks are the source of most of the carbon monoxide
emissions in Alaska. For this reason nearly all vehicles that are operated
in the Municipality of Anchorage or in the Fairbanks North Star Borough
are required to pass a vehicle emissions test every two years. See our
Mobile Sources page for additional information
regarding Vehicle Emissions Testing.
Carbon monoxide is also produced from malfunctioning
or improperly used fuel burning appliances, such as furnaces. The US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publication Protecting
Your Family and Yourself from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning lists CO
poisoning symptoms and ways to prevent CO poisoning. Click here for another
US EPA informational page about Carbon Monoxide.
Recorded messages of wintertime daily Carbon Monoxide forecasts are provided by the Municipality of Anchorage (907-343-4899) and the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) (907-459-1234). The FNSB's wintertime CO forecast may also be accessed on their Air Quality web page.
What's New:
- Fairbanks Low Sulfur Gasoline Testing Project
- Starting Jan. 1, 2005, state law (Sec. 18.70.095) will require CO alarms to be installed in most dwellings that have carbon-based fuel appliances, including single-family houses, duplexes, apartments, dormitories or group homes. The requirement will also apply to residences that have an attached garage or carport or that are adjacent to a parking space. Additional carbon monoxide safety issues can be found on the Division of Fire Prevention's "Burny's Prevention Tips" page.
- The Ongoing
Challenge of Managing Carbon Monoxide Pollution in Fairbanks, Alaska,
Interim Report. Committee on Carbon Monoxide Episodes in Meteorological
and Topographical Problem Areas, National Research Council, ISBN:
0-309-08484-9, copyright 2002 by the National Academy of Sciences.
Press
Release for report.
- View Graphs of CO trends for
Exceedances in Anchorage and Fairbanks (includes 2001 and 2002
data.)
- View Municipality of Anchorage
CO Maintenance Area
- View Fairbanks North Star Borough
CO Maintenance Areas
Contact Information:
Alice Edwards , Program Manager
Area Sources Group
Phone: 907-465-5109
email: alice.edwards@alaska.gov
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