State of the Air
Yuma nabs a ‘C’ grade for ozone pollution
Yuma County received a “C” for air quality, an improvement from last year’s “F,” in the American Lung Association’s 2022 State of the Air report released this past week.
The “C” grade indicates the number of high ozone days. Yuma County had six “orange days,” which means the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including people with heart disease or lung disease such as asthma, children and teens, people who are active outdoors, and older adults.
Yuma and Phoenix rank No. 1 and 2, respectively, as the sunniest cities in the U.S., and this means more sunlight reaches the ground giving ultraviolet radiation a greater chance to react and form more ozone.
However, when it comes to particle pollution, Yuma County nabbed an “A.” Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter or PM, is a general term for a mixture of solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air.
Gila, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties each received an “F” for the number of high ozone days. The Phoenix metropolitan area is fifth in the nation for unhealthy ozone days.
Cochise, Coconino and Yavapai counties received “B” grades and Navajo and La Paz also got a “C.”
Ground-level ozone pollution is created when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds chemically react in sunlight. On average, Arizona has more sunlight and less cloud cover than any other state in the nation.
Compounds that form ozone also come from biomass, such as shrubs and trees, industry, wildfires, gas-powered garden equipment and more.
Other contributors to ozone pollution in Arizona include emissions from international sources, such as Mexico and China, and other states, such as California. ADEQ said the agency is working with neighbors to better understand ozone transport in an effort to improve air quality for everyone.
The Phoenix metropolitan
area remained unchanged at eighth in the nation for yearround particle pollution, but had more unhealthy particle pollution days as compared to the previous report.
Maricopa, Pinal and Santa Cruz counties each received an “F” for the number of days with high particle pollution.
During Arizona’s winter holiday season, the combination of smoke from burning wood in fire pits, fireplaces and fireworks and calm, cool weather can cause high levels of particulate matter pollution.
The Lung Association developed its annual State of the Air report rankings using air quality data for the two most widespread pollutants in the United States, ozone and fine particulate matter. These pollutants pose a public health concern when they reach unhealthy levels.
Overall, Arizona has the same ranking for ozone pollution for the period from 2018 to 2020, but with fewer unhealthy days, and ranks air quality worse for particle pollution.
“As a southwestern desert state with the sunniest cities in the country and increasing wildfires in the western U.S, Arizona, like our neighboring states, shares real air quality challenges when it comes to ozone and particle pollution,” said Daniel Czecholinski, director of the ADEQ Air Quality Division. “While we’ve achieved significant improvements in overall air quality over the last 30 years from a 68% reduction in emissions – even as Arizona’s population has grown and our economy thrived – more wildfires in the western U.S. create and transport more ozone and particle pollution into the state, which affects our air quality,” he added.
“As the science linking ozone and particle pollution to negative health impacts continues to grow, it remains essential that we continue every effort to improve air quality across the state to protect everyone living and visiting Arizona today and in the future,” said JoAnna Strother, senior director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Arizona.
Arizona motorists can improve air quality not only by driving or idling less, but by also keeping vehicles tuned and operating within federal emissions limits. In addition, all Arizonans can help improve air quality by selecting plants for their yards and businesses that produce lower volatile organic compounds.
By switching to propane instead of wood and reducing the use of fireworks, especially during periods of calm winter weather, Arizonans can reduce the air pollution that settles over valleys during the winter holiday season.
Find the American Lung Association State of the Air 2022 Report here: tinyurl. com/56zjmwbp.