Air Quality

Air pollution comes from many different sources: stationary sources such as factories, power plants, and smelters and smaller sources such as dry cleaners and degreasing operations; mobile sources such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains; and naturally occurring sources such as windblown dust, and volcanic eruptions, all contribute to air pollution.

Air Quality can be affected in many ways by the pollution emitted from these sources. These pollution sources can also emit a wide variety of pollutants. The EPA has these pollutants classified as the six principal pollutants (or criteria pollutants-as they are also known). These pollutants are monitored by the EPA, as well as national, state and local organizations.

• Indoor Air Quality - All of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our day-to-day lives. Driving in cars, flying in planes, engaging in recreational activities, and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk. Some risks are simply unavoidable. Some we choose to accept because to do otherwise would restrict our ability to lead our lives the way we want. And some are risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Indoor air pollution is one risk that you can do something about.
  
  
• Air Pollution Monitoring - The basic mission of the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards is to preserve and improve the quality of our nation's air. To accomplish this, OAQPS must be able to evaluate the status of the atmosphere as compared to clean air standards and historical information. The following are some of the topics associated with monitoring air pollution.
  
  
• Air Programs - Air Programs address issues of air pollution from many different mobile sources such as cars, trucks, buses, and air planes as well as point sources such as factories, power plants, and dry cleaners. Air pollution can threaten the health of humans and animals, as well as trees, crops, and lakes. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA sets limits on how much of a pollutant is allowed in the Air. EPA's goal is to have clean air to breathe for this generation and those to follow.