April sky over TucsonThe American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” gives Pima County mixed grades.
In terms of small particulate matter, the county received an A. Part of the reason for the good grade is that the county doesn’t have a lot of heavy industry releasing dust into the air, says Beth Gorman, Senior Program Manager with the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.
However, the county is only average when it comes to ground-level ozone pollution.
“For those people who are affected when our ground-level ozone is high, a C is not a great grade,” she says. “Hopefully, we can improve that in the future.”
Some people have a hard time breathing when ground-level ozone present.
“Those include people with lung disease ... people who are just sensitive to ground-level ozone, but also active children and adults that are out there playing and also working outside,” Gorman says.
Many things contribute to ground-level ozone, including automobile exhaust and heat, so the best ways to minimize the pollutant are to drive less and keep vehicles well maintained, she says.
Monitor Pima County air quality in real time at the website www.airinfonow.org.
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