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Smog in Valley gets even worse
Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 14, 2005 12:00 AM
For the first time since October 2003, air pollution has gotten so bad in the Phoenix area that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued high-pollution advisories for two forms of particulate pollution.
The Valley today and Thursday can expect health-affecting levels of PM-10, consisting of larger particulates, and PM-2.5, the smaller particulates that have a particularly nasty effect on people with respiratory ailments.
The department has issued several advisories for PM-10 this season, but none for PM-2.5 since smoke from a California wildfire reached the Valley more than two years ago.
The larger particulates consist primarily of dust and soot, while the finer particles are made primarily of emission materials from gas- and diesel-burning vehicles.
Besides being responsible for the foglike haze that has hung over the Valley for several days, PM-2.5 particles lodge more deeply in the lungs, causing serious problems for people with asthma, emphysema and other respiratory problems. A study conducted for Gov. Jane Hull five years ago, the Governor's Brown Cloud Summit, blamed PM-2.5 particulates for increased hospitalizations and 250 to 1,000 deaths a year.
Steve Owens, department director, said the double advisory came about largely because stable weather of the past several weeks has allowed particulate pollution to accumulate.
He said that several days that exceeded the federal standard for PM-10 have him concerned that the Valley will not meet a December 2006 deadline to clean up the air. Compliance has been difficult, Owens said, because of growth. More traffic and increased construction throw additional junk into the air.
Bob Kard, director of air quality for Maricopa County, said he is "ramping up" increased enforcement of dust-control laws and open-burning laws. He encouraged the public to report apparent violations to the county.
If the Valley is not in compliance, authorities will be required to submit plans to reduce emissions and dust by 5 percent a year until compliance is reached.
The Environmental Protection Agency can impose steps on its own. It once imposed limits on parking in downtown Boston, Owens said.
"We're a long way from that happening," he said. "We've been good the last couple of years, with no exceedances, but we cannot continue to rely on good luck and good weather."
So basically they're trying to say it's unhealthy, but it could be worse. Gee, really makes me want to live up there
Smog in Valley gets even worse
Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 14, 2005 12:00 AM
For the first time since October 2003, air pollution has gotten so bad in the Phoenix area that the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has issued high-pollution advisories for two forms of particulate pollution.
The Valley today and Thursday can expect health-affecting levels of PM-10, consisting of larger particulates, and PM-2.5, the smaller particulates that have a particularly nasty effect on people with respiratory ailments.
The department has issued several advisories for PM-10 this season, but none for PM-2.5 since smoke from a California wildfire reached the Valley more than two years ago.
The larger particulates consist primarily of dust and soot, while the finer particles are made primarily of emission materials from gas- and diesel-burning vehicles.
Besides being responsible for the foglike haze that has hung over the Valley for several days, PM-2.5 particles lodge more deeply in the lungs, causing serious problems for people with asthma, emphysema and other respiratory problems. A study conducted for Gov. Jane Hull five years ago, the Governor's Brown Cloud Summit, blamed PM-2.5 particulates for increased hospitalizations and 250 to 1,000 deaths a year.
Steve Owens, department director, said the double advisory came about largely because stable weather of the past several weeks has allowed particulate pollution to accumulate.
He said that several days that exceeded the federal standard for PM-10 have him concerned that the Valley will not meet a December 2006 deadline to clean up the air. Compliance has been difficult, Owens said, because of growth. More traffic and increased construction throw additional junk into the air.
Bob Kard, director of air quality for Maricopa County, said he is "ramping up" increased enforcement of dust-control laws and open-burning laws. He encouraged the public to report apparent violations to the county.
If the Valley is not in compliance, authorities will be required to submit plans to reduce emissions and dust by 5 percent a year until compliance is reached.
The Environmental Protection Agency can impose steps on its own. It once imposed limits on parking in downtown Boston, Owens said.
"We're a long way from that happening," he said. "We've been good the last couple of years, with no exceedances, but we cannot continue to rely on good luck and good weather."
So basically they're trying to say it's unhealthy, but it could be worse. Gee, really makes me want to live up there
posted by Jenn @ 13:21
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