Like PM2.5, PM10 is the measurement of particulate matter. These are the larger particles in our air. Commonly, these particles are things like dust and coal particles from power plants. Sources of PM10 include crushing or grinding operations, wind-blown dust and dust stirred up by vehicles on roads. PM10 also comes from combustion in car engines, home heating and industrial sources.

Exposure to PM10 can cause a number of health problems including coughing and wheezing to asthma attacks. PM10 can also aggravate lung and heart conditions.

Oxides of nitrogen, or NOx, are poisonous, highly reactive gases. These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures. Sources of NOx pollution include automobiles and non-road vehicles (planes, boats, etc.) as well as industrial sources such as power plants, boilers, and turbines. When NOx reacts with VOCs near ground level on hot summer days, it produces ozone. NOx is also a direct component of PM2.5 pollution.

Volatile organic compounds are released into the air mostly during the manufacture or use of everyday products and materials. Some common sources or VOCs include the fumes from fuels, personal hygiene products, cleaning agents, paints, and other solvents used commercially or in homes.

When VOCs mix with sunlight and NOx, ozone is formed. In the wintertime, VOCs combine with other chemicals to form ammonium nitrate, a precursor to the formation of PM2.5.

Carbon monoxide (CO) can be lethal in high concentrations. The concentration of CO in the air depends on local weather conditions and the number of automobiles in the area. High levels of CO can have acute health effects on humans by reducing the supply of oxygen in the bloodstream. Combustion emissions are the primary source of CO in our air. This can come from automobiles, home heating, or other sources.

Sulfur oxides (SO2) are gases produced by burning sulfur. All fuels used by humans (oil, coal, natural gas, wood, etc.) contain some sulfur, and during the combustion process, sulfur reacts with oxygen to form SO2. The primary source of sulfur oxides is the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal. Since the introduction of catalytic converters in automobile, SO2 has mostly disappeared from Utah’s air.

SO2 can combine with particles and moisture in the air and contributes to the formation of acid rain by transforming into sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. Acid rain can damage lakes and aquatic life, building materials, and plant life.

Wood smoke, or solid fuel smoke, is the product of incomplete combustion, which releases VOCs, NOx, and fine particulates as the wood/solid fuel burns. In addition to the direct PM2.5 emitted from burning, VOCs and NOx react to form PM2.5. During inversions, these particles build up in the valleys, sometimes reaching unhealthy levels.

Utah’s Division on Air Quality regularly sees significant spikes in concentrations of both PM10 and PM2.5 associated with fireworks displays. These spikes occur in the location of professional displays and also areas surrounding smaller gatherings of neighborhoods or families celebrating the holidays with displays of their own.

Those most affected are the young, the elderly, and those sensitive individuals with respiratory conditions.

Utah has taken extraordinary steps to improve air quality. Below is a listing of just a few of the recent steps taken to clear up Utah’s air.

Large industry in Utah has reduced emissions by 47 percent since 1995 as a result of state and federal requirements.

The State has enacted 30 new rules that reduce emissions from the area sources. As an example, one of those regulations requires that consumer products sold in Utah be formulated to reduce VOCs. This step will remove 2,000 tons of pollutants from our air annually.

Utah is experiencing a solar energy boom, adding approximately 800 MW of utility-scale solar capacity since 2014. Demand for residential rooftop solar is also growing rapidly. State incentives—the Renewable Energy Systems Tax Credit and the Alternative Energy Development Incentive—have spurred this growth.

DEQ’s Division of Air Quality scientists have conducted or overseen many research projects to understand the Utah-specific chemical reactions that form pollution and identify effective control technologies to reduce that pollution.

In 2016, the Legislature passed a bill requiring that, starting in 2018, new water heaters sold in the state must include the latest technology (Ultra-low NOx), reducing NOx emissions by 75 percent compared to conventional water heaters.

Governor Herbert is using all available tools to encourage Utah refineries to produce the cleaner Tier 3 fuel. Federal Tier 3 fuel and vehicle standards are projected to cut emissions from cars and trucks in half. Model 2017 vehicles meet the Tier 3 vehicle standards.