Nearly 1 million people asked to avoid drive-thru lanes in Austin, Texas

Residents in Austin, Texas, and the surrounding metropolitan area were asked to avoid restaurant drive-thru lanes on Monday to avoid worsening ozone conditions in the area.

On Sunday afternoon, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) declared an Ozone Action Day for the Austin and San Antonio area on Monday. This includes the nearly 1 million residents living in Austin, according to recent census data.

“Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the San Antonio area on Monday,” said the air quality alert, which was shared on the National Weather Service (NWS) website.

“You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking or riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive through lanes, conserving energy, and keeping your vehicle properly tuned,” the alert said.

Ozone season runs roughly from March to November in Texas, according to the TCEQ. Each day during that time, the TCEQ alerts residents if an Ozone Action Day is in place, which is when ozone levels are higher than normal and can have an impact on health. It’s possible another Ozone Action Day will be declared for Tuesday. If so, the alert will be issued by 3 p.m. local time on Monday.

Newsweek reached out to the TCEQ by email for comment.

Air quality changes depending on the time of day and weather conditions, the NWS said. However, some factors contribute to unusually high and persistent levels of ozone pollution, including “increased emissions of chemicals and faster ozone formation rates due to heat, along with low winds and stagnant weather.”

Hot weather has been occurring across the Austin area, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by the NWS office in San Antonio/Austin.

“The broken record pattern of dry weather, warm to hot days and seasonally mild nights continues,” the office posted over the weekend.

AirNow, a coalition between the U.S. government and tribal agencies that monitors air quality, says members of sensitive groups may experience health effects when the air quality index is between 101 and 150. AirNow’s forecast shows that air quality is expected to reach that level across Austin on Monday. Tuesday’s forecast shows slight improvement, with a moderate AQI expected.

The air quality is considered moderate when the index measures between 51 and 100. Anything below 50 is considered good quality. Unhealthy levels are reached when the index is 150 to 200, very unhealthy is when levels are 201 to 300, and hazardous levels occur when the index is 301 or higher.

People can take certain actions to reduce emissions that worsen ozone, according to the TCEQ alert, including avoiding drive-thru lanes, as idling vehicles can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, conserving energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn can help prevent a worsening of the ozone readings.

Air quality also can be affected by pollution and wildfire smoke.