This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Health Warning For Melbourne Residents As Pollution Lingers

The Environmental Protection Agency has said that the event is far less dramatic than last year's asthma thunderstorm.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has advised that the air quality in Melbourne and Geelong will continue to be poor over the weekend.

The poor air quality is believed to be the result of calm weather conditions combined with a build up of urban pollution as well as wood and heater smoke.

While the event is not as dramatic as the thunderstorm asthma which occurred last November, the pollution may exacerbate heart and lung conditions and cause coughing and irritated eyes.

"Thunderstorm asthma was pollen, which of course isn't a pollutant -- it's a naturally occurring event," Dr Anthony Boxshall from the EPA told Nine News.

"This is way less dramatic than that but if you're an asthmatic it is important that we get the information out to stick to our asthma management plan."

The EPA identified those believed to be at risk include people over 65, children 14 years and younger, pregnant women and those with existing heart or lung conditions.

These groups have been advised to limit their time spent outdoors.

The fine particles of pollution are up to 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST AUSTRALIA

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.