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Texans Told to Steer Clear of Drive-Thrus as Ozone Levels Soar
15 Oct
Summary
- Millions of Texans warned about high air pollution levels
- Ozone Action Day alerts issued for major metro areas
- Drive-thru lanes discouraged as they increase emissions
As of October 15, 2025, millions of Texans are facing a serious air pollution crisis. The National Weather Service has issued Ozone Action Day alerts for several major metropolitan areas in the state, including San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and the Houston, Galveston, and Brazoria region. These alerts indicate that ground-level ozone and particulate matter concentrations are expected to reach dangerous levels, posing a significant threat to public health.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has warned that high ozone levels can cause acute respiratory issues, such as decreased lung function, chest pain, and aggravated asthma symptoms. To mitigate the problem, the TCEQ is urging residents to take steps to reduce emissions, including carpooling, walking, and avoiding drive-thru lanes, which encourage prolonged idling and increase vehicle emissions.
The current Ozone Action Day alerts are in effect throughout Wednesday, October 15, 2025, and further warnings for Thursday may be issued later in the day. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to take additional measures if necessary to protect the health and safety of the over 17.3 million people living in the affected metropolitan areas.
