Maricopa County Air Quality Department: April Kicks Off Summer Ozone Season in the Valley

April 1 marks the start of summer ozone season, when air quality concerns shift from pollution caused by woodburning, to the ground-level ozone produced by harmful emissions. This pollutant forms at ground level when chemicals from emissions react under the influence of heat and sunlight.

As residents and businesses work to improve the county’s air quality, below are ten actions we can take to reduce air pollution during ozone season:

·         Avoid drive-thru lines. Park your car and walk inside instead.

·         Link your trips together to save gasoline and reduce air pollution.

·         Refuel your vehicle after the sun goes down.

·         Whenever possible, walk, ride a bike, carpool, or use public transportation.

·         Share the ride — join a carpool or vanpool to get to work: www.valleymetro.org/Rideshare or http://www.valleymetro.org/Rideshare>

·         Keep tires properly inflated and aligned.

·         Ditch the leaf blower and use a rake or broom instead.

·         Use low or non-VOC paints and products around your home

·         Report smoking vehicles to your local Air Quality Department.

·         Receive air quality forecasts in real time by downloading the Clean Air mobile app at http://cleanairmakemore.com/tools-downloads/app/.

To find more tools, resources and tips for reducing air pollution, visit www.cleanairmakemore.com<http://www.cleanairmakemore.com>, or view the press release here<http://www.maricopa.gov/pr_detail.aspx?releaseID=2557>.