Air Quality
What are the sources of air pollution in Bend?
Most of the air pollution in the Central Oregon area come from dust, industry, wood burning smoke, vehicle emmissions, and agricultural operations. The graph below illustrates the percentages of emmission sources in Bend, Oregon in 1998.
To learn more about pollution in Bend, Oregon, or other areas in the country, visit www.scorecard.org to compare statistics.
What policies are the City of Bend working on to improve air quality?
1. The city shall encourage the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to perform more thorough monitoring of the air quality of the Bend Area, and shall work with DEQ to ensure that state and federal ambient air quality standards shall not be exceeded.
2. The city, county and state shall continue to work towards improving circulation and traffic flow through the city in order to reduce carbon monoxide levels.
3. The city shall regulate open burning, wood stove installations, and consider other measures to improve air quality within the urban area.
4. The city will cooperate with DEQ in continuing to monitor industrial emissions.
5. The city shall review land-use development in the Bend Urban Area as to its potential air quality impact on Class I areas within a 20-mile radius.
6. The city and county shall develop a plan and program to mitigate any air quality problems, before the city gets out of compliance with air quality standards.
7. The city shall support local citizen organizations in their efforts to improve the air quality in Bend.
8. The city and county shall develop a plan to mitigate the adverse air impacts of sanding roadways during winter weather.
9. The use of alternative energy sources should be encouraged.
10. Any energy producing projects shall be consistent with the community's wildlife, recreation, open space, and scenic resource values.With less energy consumption, less non-renewable energy sources will be burned for energy in other parts of the state, which would improve air quality in all places, including Central Oregon.
http://www.ci.bend.or.us/generalplan/chap10.htm#AIR%20QUALITY(FIX)
What are some sources of indoor air pollution?
There are many sources for indoor air quality problems in the home, all of which can be exacerbated by poor outdoor-indoor air ventilation, and high temperature and humidity levels. Some very common sources for indoor air pollution are oil, gas, kerosene, wood, coal and tobacco products. Many building products, such as asbestos, wet carpet and some wood-pressed furniture may also contribute to the problem, as well as household cleaning and personal care products. For a list of pollutant sources and their health affects, visit www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html or call the Oregon Department of Health Services in Salem, OR at (503) 945-5944.
How can I improve the indoor air quality of my home?
Controlling the source of pollution, improving ventilation, and using air cleaners can improve indoor air quality. Source control is usually the most effective way to decrease the amount of pollutants the air. Some sources, such as asbestos, can be contained or enclosed. Others, like gas stoves, can be adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions. Simply opening doors or windows can improve ventilation, especially important when participating in short-term activities that carry pollution. When considering air cleaners, their effectiveness can be rated in their ability to collect indoor pollutants relative to the strength of the pollution source. While not scientifically proven, it has been suggested that a large number of houseplants may help improve indoor air quality. Houseplants should not be over watered, however, which might encourage the growth of microorganisms that may produce allergic reactions in some individuals. Please visit www.epa.gov/iaq/is-imprv.html for more information. Visit our Green Purchasing Guide for green cleaning and air control products.
Envirocare Technologies
365 NE Greenwood Avenue
Bend, OR 97701
541-318-1300Riverside Air Inc
20354 NE Empire Suite D2
Bend OR 97701
541-383-3700Mountain View Heating Inc
475 SE Bridgeford Blvd
Bend, OR 97701
541-389-6714As Gregory McClarren from the Clean Air Committee reminds us, when considering the purchase of air cleaning supplies, remember that the government does not regulate many products. Gregory suggests contacting Consumer Reports or The American Lung Association before you consider removing toxins from your house (especially asbestos or lead paint) or purchasing a air cleaning system.
What/when can I burn outdoors?
Some regulations apply to burning materials outdoors within city and county limits. Please visit www.deq.state.or.us/openburning/ to familiarize yourself with city and county laws. Outdoor fires (campfires) used for warming and cooking purposes are allowed year round. If you are concerned about hot and dry weather and would like to double check, call the Deschutes Fire Department at 541-322-6309 for clarification.
