News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 740-3343
Tucson, Arizona (April
12, 2005) - Favorable weather conditions
contributed to 168 days being classified as "good" air days during
the 182-day winter air pollution season. Pima County Department
of Environmental Quality reports that during the recent winter
air pollution season, from October through March, carbon monoxide
and particulate matter pollution levels remained well below the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards. During the upcoming summer
air pollution season, air quality advisories will continue to
be issued with the American Lung Association when ground-level
ozone and particulate pollution concentrations approach the unhealthy
levels. In addition, ozone "movies" are available on the Air
Info Now web site to track the ebb and flow of ozone levels around
the Tucson area.
PDEQ uses the federal Air Quality Index (AQI) as a measure of the pollutant levels detected in the air quality monitoring network. The AQI measures good air quality on a scale from 1-50; moderate air quality from 51-100; and unhealthy air quality 101 and above. For the third year in a row, carbon monoxide pollution levels were in the good range every day during the 182-day season. The region has not exceeded federal standards for carbon monoxide for over 14 years. Particulate matter (PM10) air pollution levels were in the moderate range 14 days out of the 182 days during the 2004-2005 season, compared with 40 for the same time frame in 2003-2004. The highest AQI value for PM10 during the 6 months from October through March 2003-2004 was 100. The EPA health standard for PM10 was violated in 1999.
"We were fortunate this winter to have relatively frequent episodes of rain, which helped keep the particulate matter from becoming airborne," said Beth Gorman, Program Manager for PDEQ. "Now that summer is approaching, weather patterns are more conducive to the creation of ozone," Gorman continued. "Stagnant air pressure systems and increased solar radiation combine with emissions from motor vehicles and other sources, allowing ground-level ozone to form in the air we breathe," she
said.
Pima County is relatively close
to exceeding the health standard for ozone, with a small margin
of safety. "We are currently running at about 85 percent of the EPA health standard, so there is a small cushion but not enough to be unconcerned, said Ursula Kramer, Director of PDEQ. "Especially since our area has a large number of individuals considered 'at-risk' for health problems when ozone levels are elevated" Kramer
continued.
PDEQ will continue to work with
the American Lung Association to increase public awareness
of the health problems associated with ozone pollution and
issue advisories, should concentrations reach levels that could
adversely affect sensitive populations. People most at risk
include children, outdoor exercisers, and individuals with
lung disease. Ground-level ozone can irritate the respiratory
system, reduce lung function, aggravate asthma, inflame cells
that line the lungs and aggravate chronic lung disease.
The ebb and flow of ozone levels
can be observed throughout the eastern Pima County area on "ozone movies" available
at http://www.airinfonow.org/html/ozoneMC.html.
Since approximately 63 percent of
our air pollution is caused by motor vehicle use, individuals
can reduce the amount of pollution they create by doing the
following: use their cars less; keep cars properly maintained;
refuel after 6:00 PM; stop at the click when pumping gasoline
to avoid fumes and spills; combine trips; avoid idling at drive-thru
windows; carpool; take the bus; and/or ride a bike or walk
on short trips. In addition, other activities, such as starting
barbeques with an electric charcoal starter instead of lighter
fluid and using electric or manual gardening equipment, will
help to prevent air pollution.
For more information on the health effects of air pollution, actions that can be taken to reduce air pollution, and up-to-the-hour air quality information, call the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality at 740-3343 or click on
www.airinfonow.org.
###
