The Offenders
You
Reducing the amount of particulate matter that gets into our air is not a problem for the government or for science alone. It is a problem of the residents and visitors living and breathing in Maricopa County as well. But there is a way to clean our air. There are plenty of easy changes each of us can commit to do to stop polluting. The P-27 Ordinance, Vehicle Parking and Use on Unstabilized Vacant Lots, is intended to prevent parking and operation of vehicles on vacant lots that are not stabilized. The P-28 Ordinance, Off-Road Vehicle Use in Unincorporated Areas of Maricopa County, is intended to prevent off-road vehicle use in unpaved areas that are not designated as open to the public.
Cars, Trucks & ATVs
Exhaust from cars is a significant contributor to the particulate pollution problem. Being the single occupant in a vehicle on a regular basis adds pollution to the air. Further, driving off-road vehicles on dirt and unpaved roads stir up particulate matter that pollutes our air unnecessarily.
Leaf Blowers and Lawn & Garden Equipment
Leaf blowers and gas powered lawn and garden equipment raise large amounts of dust. The best alternative to a dust producing leaf blower is a rake or broom. The use of electric lawn and garden equipment is strongly recommended.
Woodburning
Burning wood in fireplaces and wood stoves, as well as burning leaves, trash or other materials, contribute significantly to particulate matter -- specifically PM -2.5. During the December holidays in both 2007 and 2006, the greater Phoenix area experienced extremely high levels of PM -2.5 primarily due to wood-burning fires.
Regulated Industry
Many of the man-made sources of particulate matter are dust from construction activities, vacant lots, dirt roads, off-road areas where people have destabilized soil. Dirt that is tracked-out onto roads by vehicles causes problems because dust then gets constantly kicked by vehicles driving over it. The Dust Compliance Division focuses on these areas, as well as open-burning and fireplaces.