PHX air quality (Phoenix, Payson: statistics, move to, oil)

[locolife]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

I believe the SW area of DT gets the worst air quality due to the heavy industrial presence.

It's famously known as being heavily polluted for this reason.

That makes sense, I haven't spent much time over there but from the top of the south mountain you can see it looks very industrial over there.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by locolife

That makes sense, I haven't spent much time over there but from the top of the south mountain you can see it looks very industrial over there.

Although I can't find it, there's a bit of academic jibber jabber about the South Phoenix pollution issue, usually in the context of Environmental Justice, because Phoenix has an interesting juxtaposition of having one of the most polluted zip codes in America (South Phoenix), and some of the the cleaner zip codes (North Phoenix).


http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...thma/83717442/

Relevant link RE 85009 (the zip code at issue)

[DougStark]

Phoenix air quality isn't great, but it's not nearly as bad as the Inland Empire, Bakersfield, or Fresno.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by locolife

Of course the situation can improve, it has been improving. In the 1990's we had as many as 125 high ozone days, now we see that number under 50. And look at annual particle pollution, as high as 22 in the mid-2000's and now we're passing at below 12.5.

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | American Lung Association

It is true that the geography, population and arid weather can make certain types of pollution worse in the West it's not like every city out East is a rock-star either. Phoenix's biggest problem is Ozone, which is not the brown cloud. In other air pollution categories we don't do well but we aren't that bad either.

Phoenix ranks poor in Ozone but other cities quite a few Eastern cities don't do very well either:
NYC, Hartford, Philadelphia, Baton Rouge, Sheboygan.

All these cities rank higher than Phoenix for Year Round Particle Pollution:
Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Louisville, Detroit, Fairbanks, Birmingham, Houston.

All these cities rank higher than Phoenix for Short Term Particle Pollution:
Fairbanks, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia

Most Polluted Cities | American Lung Association

So we should be happy that we're not as bad as XYZ? Well, they don't have toxic dust storms like we do so...

[locolife]

Originally Posted by jimj

So we should be happy that we're not as bad as XYZ? Well, they don't have toxic dust storms like we do so...

Not even close to what I said, I was responding to someone's statement that poor air quality is primarily a problem in arid/western cities. It is not. We've also been steadily improving on air quality violations for some time now and we should continue to push for that although the current leadership of our country is seems very unlikely to push for anything that helps clean up any part of the environment.

I have no idea what you mean by toxic dust storms. Are you talking about valley fever? If so, the word should not be toxic as it's a natural bacteria that occurs in this region and for the majority of people it's no issue at all. Nothing like living next to a superfund site which better fits the definition of toxic.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by locolife

Not even close to what I said, I was responding to someone's statement that poor air quality is primarily a problem in arid/western cities. It is not. We've also been steadily improving on air quality violations for some time now and we should continue to push for that although the current leadership of our country is seems very unlikely to push for anything that helps clean up any part of the environment.

I have no idea what you mean by toxic dust storms. Are you talking about valley fever? If so, the word should not be toxic as it's a natural bacteria that occurs in this region and for the majority of people it's no issue at all. Nothing like living next to a superfund site which better fits the definition of toxic.

Sprigg notes that potential health problems go far beyond common respiratory ailments. Dust storms carry a noxious mix of fungi, heavy metals from pollution, fertilizers, stockyard fecal matter, chemicals and bacteria, which can cause cardiovascular disease, eye diseases and other illnesses.

Arizona researcher explores dangers of living in dust

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by jimj

Arizona researcher explores dangers of living in dust

Then move?

[jimj]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Then move?

Working on it...

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by locolife

Check out the air quality loop on cleanairnow. From the 51 you're looking directly SW into the part of the valley that always seems to get the worst air

Yes, that's the area I was facing on that stretch of the 51, but many times it extends well past downtown, and over Sky Harbor, too. Ill try and get a good shot next time.

[DougStark]

Once ranchers and farmers take more ownership for their operations' dust emissions, we'll see more improvements in our PM 10 violations.