Phoenix's air quality has gotten better — but there’s still room for improvement, new report shows

The air quality in metro Phoenix has gotten better, but there’s still room for improvement. That’s according to a new report from the American Lung Association.

The State of the Air report shows the amount of particle pollution in the Valley improved from 2021 to 2023.

The Phoenix metro area moved from ninth to 20th place on the national list for worst year-round particle pollution. But it still ranks fourth in the nation for unhealthy ozone days.

Daniel Czecholinski works for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. In a statement, he said while the state has successfully cut emissions by 70% over three decades, western wildfire activity and stagnant weather continues to significantly affect Arizona’s air quality.

ADEQ Air Monitoring and Assessment Manager Bradley Busby said in the next few weeks, the department is set to begin work on a research initiative that will bring together leading air quality experts to address rising ground-level ozone concentrations in Maricopa and Pinal counties.

"It's a partnership between ADEQ, other local agencies and universities all coming together to better understand what is driving the ozone problem here in Phoenix, in Arizona and really across the rest of the West," Busby said.

ADEQ said Arizona motorists can improve air quality by driving or idling less and keeping vehicles tuned and operating within federal emissions limits. Arizonans can also help improve air quality by selecting plants for yards and businesses that produce lower volatile organic compounds, which chemically react in sunlight.

On average, Arizona has more sunlight and less cloud cover than any other state in the nation. That means more sunlight reaches the ground giving ultraviolet radiation a greater chance to react and form more ozone.