Air Quality

Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, yet poisonous gas, resulting from incomplete fuel combustion. Anything that burns fossil fuels, such as wood, gasoline or diesel, produces this gas. Motor vehicle emissions account for approximately 80% of the carbon monoxide emissions in Maricopa County.

Carbon Monoxide levels in Maricopa County are higher in the wintertime due to temperature inversions and the Valley's topography. Air usually becomes cooler as one moves higher in the atmosphere. A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of cooler air is 'trapped' underneath a layer of warmer air. An inversion keeps pollutants from vehicles, fireplaces, and other sources close to the ground, thus increasing the chances for carbon monoxide and particulates to reach unhealthy levels.

Through regional efforts, levels of carbon monoxide in the Valley have been below the health based standards for since 1997.

Health Effects from Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream and reduces oxygen delivery to the body's organs and tissues. The health threat from exposure to carbon monoxide is most serious for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease and/or anemia. Healthy individuals are also affected, but only at higher levels of exposure. 

Things that you can do to reduce Carbon Monoxide include:

• Reduce your amount of driving; particularly in the wintertime.
• Keep your vehicle engine tuned.
• Replace gasoline lawn mowers and other lawn equipment with electric lawn equipment.
• Use hand tools for lawn and garden maintenance.
• Do not burn wood when Maricopa County No Burn Days are in effect.

Ozone is a poisonous, pungent smelling gas that is slightly bluish in color. Naturally occurring ozone in the upper atmosphere (Stratosphere) beneficially blocks the Sun's dangerous radiation. However, ozone formed at ground levels from man made sources presents a serious health hazard.

At ground level, ozone is produced when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react with heat and sunlight. Sources for VOCs include cars, trucks, lawn mowers, oil based paints, cleaners and some industrial operations. Since heat and sunlight help create ozone, high ozone levels are primarily a summertime issue.

Children, pregnant women, elderly people, and those with heart and lung disease are the most vulnerable to being harmed by ozone pollution. Even the healthiest of people can be harmed by ozone pollution if they exercise outdoors when ozone pollution levels are high.

Through regional efforts ozone levels in Maricopa County have been below the health based standards since 2002.

Things you can do to help reduce ozone pollution include the following:

Your Car

• Never top off your tank. Spilled gas is wasteful and increases the emissions of the gases that react to form ozone. Spilling a cup of gasoline puts as much ozone-forming pollution into the air as driving a 1993 model car 160 miles.
• Fill up after 4:00 p.m. - this limits the amount of ozone produced by shortening the time gasoline fumes can react in sunlight.
• Reduce summer time driving, especially during rush hour.

Your Lawn

• Replace your gasoline powered lawn equipment with electric equipment.  Mowing your lawn with gas equipment for an hour creates as much total pollution as driving a 1993 model car over 2,000 miles!

Your Home

Major household projects, like painting, should be done during the fall or winter rather than during the hot summer months. Use water-based paint. Oil-based paints contain up to five times more polluting solvents than water-based paints.

Many household cleaning products contain ozone-forming chemicals. Some alternatives that pollute less include:

Disinfectants

• 1/2 cup of Borax dissolved in a gallon of water 

Rug and Upholstery Cleaning

• Sprinkle the rug or furniture with baking soda, then vacuum.

Furniture Polish 

• Mix one part lemon juice in two parts olive or other vegetable oil, or one teaspoon lemon oil in one pint of mineral oil

• Use the oil from crushed black walnuts to conceal nicks and scratches.

Linoleum Cleaner

• Mop with one cup white vinegar mixed with two gallons of water to remove dull, greasy film.

• Polish with club soda

Spot Remover

• Use club soda to remove fruit juice, tea, gravy, ketchup or mud stains.

• Immediately soak blood stains in cold water.

Air Fresheners

• A few drops of vanilla in a dish

• Simmer cloves and cinnamon in water on the stove (make sure the pan does not boil dry)

Your Barbecue

• Use self lighting charcoal, chips, flakes or cubes instead of charcoal lighter fluid.

• Buy a propane, natural gas, or electric grill instead of a charcoal grill.  Any of these emit much less pollution and are cleaner choices than a charcoal grill.

At the Store 

• Look at the label and avoid products that contain petroleum distillates, highly aromatic solvents, terrene, aliphatic hydrocarbons, glycols and benzene.

Particulate matter that is less than ten microns in size is defined as PM-10. When suspended in the air, this small particulate matter affects humans as it is inhaled, forcing the heart and lungs to work harder to provide oxygen to the body. This can lead to a decreased breathing ability and damage to the heart. The harmful effects are particularly severe in the elderly, children and persons with pre-existing respiratory problems.

We developed an ordinance that establishes PM-10 control requirements for construction sites, as well as other dust generating activities such as weed control, livestock areas, vacant parcels, and road work.

• Mesa City Code (see Title 8, Chapter 2) 
• Environmental Requirements for Construction

Major PM-10 Sources

• Earth-moving activities such as grading, construction, demolition, trenching.
• Driving on unpaved roads or surfaces
• Material handling and transport
• Disturbance of storage piles
• Re-suspension of dust deposited on paved roads from trackout or spillage
• Wind erosion from unstabilized and/or disturbed vacant lots

Help Reduce Particulate Pollution

• Keeping any open area or vacant lots you own or are responsible for stabilized.  Apply water to form a crust, or apply gravel or a soil stabilizer, plant vegetation
• NOT driving or parking on unpaved roads, shoulders or lots unless it's absolutely necessary
• Using marked trails and designated areas when having fun with your dirt bike, ATV or off road vehicle
• NOT using your dirt bike, ATV or off road vehicle on dry river bottoms, other desert areas or vacant lots.  This activity creates a tremendous amount of dust and destabilizes the area so that any wind creates even more dust!
• Don't blow dirt and debris into the streets.
• Any burning of material outdoors (where a flue or chimney is not used) is generally prohibited unless it is a process that is exempt from the general requirement. Learn more about outdoor burning.