Hawai‘i State Department of Health

Kilauea Volcano Air Pollutants

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) urges Hawai‘i County residents to take precautions to protect their health whenever there are elevated levels of air pollutants. Communities near the Kilauea volcano are particularly affected by increased levels of both sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) caused by the recent volcanic activity. Communities farther away from the volcano, such as Kona, will more likely be affected only by PM_2.5.

The DOH has monitoring stations that check SO₂ and PM_2.5 levels in Kona, Hilo, Mountain View, and Pahala. SO₂ is also being monitored at one station in Puna.

Elevated levels of SO₂ or PM_2.5 can cause breathing problems in individuals especially those with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. If you have respiratory conditions and live or work in an area impacted by SO₂ or vog, consider taking precautionary measures. The following are general recommendations from the American Lung Association:

Stay indoors and use an air conditioner, if available.

Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke.

Limit physical exertion.

Drink plenty of fluids to loosen mucus. Warm beverages seem to work best.

If you take medications, always have an adequate supply and keep them readily available in a convenient place.

Contact your physician as soon as any respiratory problem develops.

While these recommendations are intended primarily for persons having respiratory or chronic lung disease, they are also useful for healthy persons during vog episodes. For additional information on respiratory health, contact your personal physician or the American Lung Association of Hawaii.