The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality is issuing an air quality advisory due to the potential for elevated levels of particulate matter this afternoon and tonight.

The dry conditions and winds are causing higher than normal levels of airborne particulate matter today and wind gusts are predicted to be as high as 34 miles per hour tonight and 47 m.p.h. tomorrow afternoon.

Particulate matter is made up of tiny specks of soot, dust, and aerosols that are suspended in the air we breathe.

Individuals with heart disease and respiratory sensitivities may wish to reduce exposure to outside air this afternoon and tonight. And if you need to go outside, it is suggested you reduce your level of exertion to decrease the amount of particulates you breathe into your lungs.

This advisory will be in effect as long as current weather conditions continue.

PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 18 air quality monitoring sites. Up-to-the-hour air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website www.airinfonow.org or by calling the PDEQ hotline at (520) 882-4AIR.

Pima County, Ariz.(May 2, 2012) – Unused prescription drugs will be collected by Pima County Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday, May 5, at Eastside City Hall, 7575 E. Speedway Blvd.  The event is part of the Tucson/Pima County Hazardous Waste Program.

To get to the collection site, turn north onto Prudence Road and follow the signs.

Any unused prescription and over-the-counter medication will be collected, no questions asked, and disposed of safely.  Medications should not be flushed down a toilet or  tossed in the trash, where it could harm animals. It’s unsafe to leave unused prescription medication around the house.

Paint and household chemicals can also be brought to the site for proper disposal. That includes toxic cleaning products.

Head to the University of Arizona Recreation Center pool on Saturday, April 28, to learn how to stay safe while having fun in the sun and the water this summer.

This free Summer Sun, Safe Fun 2012 event for the entire family runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center at 1400 E. Sixth St.

The Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with UA Campus Recreation, the UA Cancer Center’s Skin Cancer Institute, American Red Cross, Tucson Fire Department, Tucson Parks and Recreation and the YMCA of Southern Arizona to present the event.

• Learn about sunscreen and how to keep your skin safe outdoors.
• Find out about Tucson-area swim lessons and lifeguard classes.
• Watch CPR demonstrations, and see a Tucson fire truck up close.
• Bring your swimsuit and towel and learn how to play safe in the water and how to rescue others while staying safe yourself in backyard pools.
• Enjoy refreshments; get free giveaways; and win great raffle prizes.

For more information, call 621-8718 or visit www.campusrec.arizona.edu/safefun.

For general information about Pima County pools, swimming lessons and lifeguard classes, go to www.pima.gov/nrpr/pools/index.htm.

Pima County, Ariz. (April 12, 2012) Celebrate Earth Day every day, but especially with us at the 18th Annual Tucson Earth Day Festival and Parade Saturday, April 21, 2012. The theme of the 2012 Festival is “It’s In Your Hands.”

This free family-friendly event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reid Park, off Country Club Road north of 22nd Street.

The Parade starts at 10 a.m.  The festival includes live music and food and beverages  for sale.

Fun and engaging exhibits will provide information and hands-on activities, with take-away messages about how to preserve our wonderful world. You’ll learn about water conservation, air quality, household hazardous waste, energy conservation, sustainability, wildlife, nature preserves, solar energy, clean fuels and more. Also, consider adopting or fostering a pet at the pet rescue area.

 Handmade clothing and crafts from all-natural or recycled materials, locally harvested honey, and other eco-friendly products will be available for purchase.

 Be a spectator or join the Parade. Schools, bands, families, community and youth groups, mascots, businesses and agencies will be marching to share friendly messages about eco issues. Floats must be non-motorized or alternate-fueled and can be made from recycled materials for a greater eco example. Interested in joining in-? Contact tucsonearthday@yahoo.com.

 Learn about Alternate-Fuel Vehicles. Curious about saving money on fuel and reducing greenhouse gases?  Vehicles powered by clean fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electricity, ethanol, propane and even waste vegetable oil may be on display.

 Model solar race car/solar house competition. This contest is open to middle-school students and will show off their design and construction skills. Kits for this competition are available from the Society of Women Engineers at www.swetucson.org/solar.

For more information, go to www.tucsonearthday.org,  call (520) 206-8814 or e-mail tucsonearthday@yahoo.com. Also, find us on Facebook at Tucson Earth Day Festival.

Pima County, Ariz. (April 10, 2012) – A public meeting on proposed changes to the county’s sewer connection fees is set for Thursday, April 12, at 6 p.m. in downtown Tucson.

The county’s Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (RWRD) and the Pima County Regional Wastewater Advisory Committee are the hosts of the meeting, which is intended to gather public comment on a changed proposed by RWRD in calculating sewer connection fees.

The meeting will be in the 5th floor conference room in the Transamerica Building at 177 N. Church Ave.

The change would move from a fixture unit equivalent formula (FUE) to a method based on water meter size.

The FUE fee structure assigns value to each fixture in a home or business that discharges wastewater into the public sanitary sewer system.

Sewer connection fees are paid by residences and businesses that are connected to the public sanitary sewer system.

The fees fund the cost of the conveyance of wastewater and the treatment capacity for new sewer connections.  State law assigns the county the authority to charge for sewer connection fees.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors is expected to consider a new connection fee ordinance and fee schedule at its meeting on May 15.

Pima County, Ariz. (April 6, 2012) – As people prepare to gather for Easter and Passover, the Pima County Health Department asks they be vigilant in preventing the spread of Norovirus, especially around the elderly and children.

The health department is investigating seven clusters of the virus in long-term and assisted-living facilities in the area.

Seeing Norovirus circulate in these types of facilities is not uncommon but health officials say that seeing so many at one time is unusual. Norovirus is more commonly known as “stomach flu” or “24 hour flu,” even though it has no relation to the flu (influenza) virus.

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be spread through person-to-person contact, consumption of contaminated food and water, airborne droplets of vomit and contact with contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs and faucets.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps usually lasting 24 to 72 hours without any serious complications. The elderly, infants, and people with other medical conditions can suffer more serious symptoms. They may have to be hospitalized and the disease can be fatal. It’s especially important to protect these people from the disease.

Dr. Michelle McDonald, Chief Medical Officer of the Pima County Health Department, said: “The most important thing to realize is that extra precautions should be taken to prevent the spread of this disease when we are seeing so much of it amongst the people most vulnerable to it – the elderly.”  Here is her advice:

• Wash your hands often. This is especially important for medical and food workers. Washing your hands with soap and water is the quickest and most effective way to stop the spread of most diseases like Norovirus. Alcohol-based sanitizers may be a helpful addition to hand washing but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and water.
• Keep it to yourself. People who are sick should stay home from work or school for at least 48 hours after their symptoms are gone. Medical and food workers can very easily pass their illness on to others.
• Keep it clean. Since Norovirus can be spread on surfaces, it is important to keep high- traffic areas sanitized with a bleach-based or otherwise powerful cleanser. Not all cleansers are the same, so check the label to see if your cleanser will get the job done.

For more on Norovirus, contact your health provider or call the Health Department at 520.243.7800.

Pima County, Ariz. (April 2, 2012) – The 2011-12 winter air-pollution season – October through March – has ended uneventfully, according to the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, which monitors air quality.

Several air-quality advisories were issued over the winter by PDEQ to warn sensitive individuals of potential particulate problems on windy days. But there were no official unhealthy days recorded this winter for any of the six air pollutants that PDEQ monitors.

However, the approaching hot, stagnant days that will occur during the warmer months favor the formation of a pollutant called “ground-level ozone.”  This human-caused pollutant is different from the ozone layer that occurs naturally in the atmosphere above us and protects us from the sun.

Ground-level ozone can cause short-term health effects including chest pain, coughing, and nose and throat irritation. It is also linked to increased symptoms for those with respiratory disease such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.

Up-to-the-hour air pollution information is available on PDEQ’s website at www.AirInfoNow.org or by calling (520) 882-4AIR.  The Air Info Now website also creates real-time “ozone maps” to show where ozone is forming over our community.

Residents can sign up to receive emails to let them know when air pollution levels are forecasted to cause health concerns for sensitive individuals. Contact PDEQ at (520) 243-7446 for more information or sign up on the PDEQ website.

Since motor-vehicle use causes most of the air pollution in Pima County, a special effort is beingmade to remind everyone to maintain their vehicles; check and properly inflate their tires monthly; avoid extended engine idling at locations such as schools and drive-through lanes and try to carpool, bike, ride Sun Tran or walk at least one day a week.

Pima County, Ariz. (March 29, 2012) – Now there’s an interactive website just for kids that helps them learn about air, water, soil, resource conservation and climate change – and why it’s important for them to learn how to take good care of planet Earth.

The Eco Kids Corner website was developed by Pima County’s Department of Environmental Quality and a student intern from the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health to engage children in learning about the natural world and their role in it. Here’s the link: http://www.cleanair.pima.gov/ .

Not only can they learn fun facts, like how old the Earth is and what air is made of, but they can write poems, guess the answers to science questions, learn why recycling really matters, take a look at the hydrologic cycle and find out about pedology. That’s the study of soil.

The colorful website provides links to other activity-based sites for kids from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control.

The site also provides links to the local zoo, museums, the Sonoran Desert Kids Club and other venues that offer educational programs and materials for children.

The site includes resources for teachers and inspiration for science fair projects, too.

A special program to introduce the website is set for  Saturday, April 7, at 11 a.m. at the Murphy-Wilmot Branch Public Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road, during the library’s monthly Science Saturday event.

Pima County, Ariz. (March 20, 2012) Celebrate Earth Day at the 18th Annual Tucson Earth Day Festival and Parade Saturday, April 21, 2012. The theme of the 2012 Festival is “It’s in Your Hands.”

The event is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reid Park, off Country Club Road north of 22nd Street. The Parade starts at 10 a.m.

Exhibitors and parade entrants are being sought. The registration deadline for both is March 30.

Non-profit organizations, private businesses, government agencies, clubs, families, youth groups and community groups may register to take part in the event and the parade.

Exhibits should provide information on environmental products or issues such as water conservation, water quality, air quality, household hazardous waste, sustainability or other “eco” topics. Exhibitors should provide engaging, hands-on activities for all, with take-away information about how to preserve our wonderful world.

Parade entrants should share friendly messages about eco issues. They can reflect the parade theme “It’s in Your Hands.” Environmentally themed floats must be human-powered or use alternate fuel.

If your auto, bike or motorcycle runs on clean fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electricity, ethanol, propane and even waste vegetable oil, show it off and provide information on alternate fuels at an exhibit at the park.

Middle school students will show off their design and construction skills in a competition for the best solar model vehicle. Kits for this competition are available from the Society of Women Engineers at www.swetucson.org/solar.

For more on the event, go to www.tucsonearthday.org, call (520) 206-8814 or e-mail tucsonearthday@yahoo.com. Also, Tucson Earth Day Festival is on Facebook.

Pima County, Ariz. – The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for particulate-matter air pollution on Wednesday.

Dry conditions and gusty winds are causing elevated levels of airborne particulate matter. Particulate matter is made up of tiny specks of soot, dust, vehicle emissions and aerosols suspended in the air.

The advisory is for a 24-hour period.

Individuals with heart disease and respiratory sensitivities may wish to reduce their exposure to outside air Wednesday afternoon and night, DEQ advises.If you go outside, it is suggested you reduce your level of exertion to decrease the amount of particulates you breathe into your lungs.

 PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 18 different air quality monitoring sites. Up-to-the-hour air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website www.AirInfoNow.org or by calling the PDEQ hotline at (520) 882-4AIR.