HEAL of Southern Arizona

 

13 Air Quality Concerns in Tucson

General air problems in the Tucson basin are:

1.      Very Hot Weather lasting from mid-May to October (you will need cooling and stay inside most of the time, if not all of the time).

2.      Ozone is created from air pollution and sun, and levels can be high in the summer.  It is worse in the evenings (when you want to go out, because it is cooler) and at higher elevations (where you want to be, above the other pollutants).

3.      Air inversions in winter may hold the air pollution down in the basin and can last for days.

4.      Dust. There are many unpaved roads in the Tucson basin.  Traffic speed laws are not enforced largely and a huge amount of dust is kicked up by a single car going 50 mph on a dirt road.  Multiply that by thousands and add spring or monsoon winds, and there is a constant dust problem.

5.      Valley Fever. Valley fever is a disease that is transmitted by dust. It is a fungus that affects the lungs and can affect bones and other organs.  Many people get it, and some portion of the population is permanently affected.  No one should go to the desert without first understanding the risks of Valley Fever.

6.      Particulates and chemicals from mines are a problem in those areas downwind or near the mines (notably Green Valley).  At the current time (2021) the nearest copper smelter is about 100 miles away.  Since 1992, the smelters in Arizona have complied with Federal regulations and Sulfur Dioxide has not been noticeable in Tucson basin air since that time, but smelters below the border are not controlled.

7.      Molds and Pollens. There are molds in Tucson.  When water is introduced into the desert, as in an urban environment, mold grows.  'Swamp coolers' are used by many households in Tucson.   These coolers operate with fan-driven air being cooled from flowing through water-drenched avaporative cooler pads.  When not kept clean, molds grow in them.  In the summer, the low-lying areas are moldy.  Flat roofs often leak, leading to mold growth in the structure.  Pollens are present both from native flora and from landscaping trees introduced to the area. See:  Tucson Pollen Calendar

8.      New Construction.  New development is rampant in Pima County.  Zoning is constantly being redone to allow for the building of higher-density housing.  Desert protection and green belt laws are consistently put aside for the benefit of new development.

9.      Traffic. Tucson, like all other US cities, has traffic problems.  There are no cross-town freeways, so the arterial roads are extremely busy, especially during the winter when the 'Snowbirds' increase the population.  Roads are basically in a grid pattern, with an artery every one to two miles in each direction.  Therefore, it is very difficult to locate oneself the recommended one mile from a major artery.  Trucks from Mexico do not have to pass any air pollution standards, and U.S. Highway 19 to U.S. 10, and U.S. 10 in both directions, are major routes for transporting produce and products from the foreign factories and farms in Mexico into the US.

10. Airplanes.  The Tucson Airport and the Davis Monthan US Air Force Base are located in the Tucson Basin.  Heavy air traffic is normal anywhere NW and SE of these airports.  Air traffic can get heavy during times of national military alerts.  There is also a military airport in the Marana area.  Davis Monthan Air Force Base stores old military airplanes and sometimes a constant stream of outdated planes will fly over the city for weeks.  The drop-down pollution from airplanes is very toxic.

11.  Wood Smoke. During the winter there is wood smoke in Tucson.  Some residents burn wood gathered from the nearby forests for their heating source (about 10%), and many burn wood and trash in little patio “chimineras” in the evening.  Summer wildfires and controlled burning are common in the surrounding mountains.

12. Hot Tar. Tar is used both to chip and seal roads and to roof houses.  Most homes have flat roofs and these must be repaired and replaced frequently.  Driveways, parking lots, and roads are repaired by using hot tar with a layer of gravel on top (chip sealing).  As the heat breaks down the roads quickly, this is an ongoing process.

13. Pesticides. Pesticides are heavily used in both structures and outdoor areas.  Subterranean termites and other crawling insects are common, and it is difficult to find housing that has not been recently applied with pesticides.  Many home and business owners have their buildings treated with pesticides regularly to control for nuisance insects.  Lawn spraying is not very common here, as there are not many lawns.  To date, Pima County does not do aerial spraying for mosquitoes or medfly.  See Beyond Pesticides for news and events regarding pesticides in Arizona.

While Tucson is not a haven for those with MCS, it is better from an air quality point of view than the larger metropolitan areas such as Phoenix or Los Angeles. The sunny, hot and dry climate can improve some conditions.  The specific problems listed above can be greatly controlled by careful selection of the location of your home.

The original article was written by Cheryl Stewart and the conclusions herein are hers alone.

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