News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 243-7446
Tucson, Arizona (November 10, 2008) The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and the American Lung Association of Arizona are issuing a Particulate Matter Pollution Advisory for
November 10,2008
This advisory is being issued because Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) monitoring sites have recorded elevated pollution levels in Tucson and Green Valley. Sensitive individuals with lung or heart disease may experience respiratory symptoms. If individuals are sensitive to particulate pollution, they may want to reduce their level of outside exercise today.
Scientific studies have linked breathing particulate matter to a series of significant health problems, including: aggravated asthma; increases in respiratory symptoms like coughing and difficult or painful breathing; throat irritation, chronic bronchitis; decreased lung function; and premature death.
Particulates come from a variety of sources such as cars, trucks, buses, power plants, factories, construction sites, tilled fields and cleared land, unpaved roads, stone crushing, wood burning, and wildfires. In addition, wind-borne particulates can travel into the valley from other areas or be generated locally.
Actions to reduce the production of particulate matter include:
• Avoid driving on dirt roads, if no options – drive slowly to reduce dust emissions;
• Ride the bus, bicycle, walk or share a ride with friends and family;
• Reduce driving - combine errands into one trip;
• Keep vehicles well-tuned and tires properly inflated;
• Reduce recreational fireplace and BBQ use;
• Conserve electricity;
• Control dust from cleared land and other sources with dust suppressants or vegetation; and
• Drive off-road vehicles slowly and away from homes to reduce dust emissions and exposure.
Air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website www.airinfonow.org or by calling the PDEQ hotline at (520) 882-4AIR.
For more information on lung health issues, contact the ALAA at (520) 323-1812 or www.lungaz.org.
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