The Clean Air Act has a proven record of public health and environmental protection since 1970. Pollution reductions from EPA Partnership Programs. EPA uses ...
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CleanAirActOverview
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ProgressCleaningtheAirandImprovingPeople'sHealth
TheCleanAirActhasaprovenrecordofpublichealthandenvironmentalprotectionsince1970.
PollutionreductionsfromEPAPartnershipPrograms
EPAusesvoluntarypartnershipprogramsintandemwithregulatoryprogramstoprotectpublichealthandtheenvironment.CleanAirActpartnershipprogramsreduceconventionalairpollutionandgreenhousegasemissions,improveenergyefficiency,reduceoilimports,andsavemoney.
Moreinformationonthenationalprogresstowardcleanair
AirQualityTrends
ProgressReportsonMarket-BasedAirProgramsforPowerPlantsandIndustry
ImpactofFiveMajorRulesforVehiclesandEngines
HistoryofReducingAirPollutionfromTransportationintheUnitedStates
QuickOverview
Formorethanforty-fiveyearstheCleanAirActhascutpollutionastheU.S.economyhasgrown.
Americansbreathelesspollutionandfacelowerrisksofprematuredeathandotherserioushealtheffects.
Environmentaldamagefromairpollutionisreduced.
ThevalueofCleanAirActhealthbenefitsfarexceedsthecostsofreducingpollution.
Newcars,trucks,andnonroadenginesusestate-of-the-artemissioncontroltechnologies.
Newplantsandfactoriesinstallmodernpollutioncontroltechnology.
Powerplantshavecutemissionsthatcauseacidrainandharmpublichealth.
Interstateairpollutionhasbeenreduced.
Mobileandindustrialpollutionsourcesreleasemuchlesstoxicpollutiontotheairthanin1990.
Actionstoprotecttheozonelayeraresavingmillionsofpeoplefromskincancersandcataracts.
Thescenicvistasinournationalparksareclearerduetoreductionsinpollution-causedhaze.
EPAhastakeninitialstepstolimitemissionsthatcauseclimatechangeandoceanacidification.
TheActhasprompteddeploymentofcleantechnologies,andhashelpedprovideimpetusfortechnologyinnovationsthatreduceemissionsandcontrolcosts.
DetailedSummary:CleanAirActResults
Formorethanforty-fiveyearstheCleanAirActhascutpollutionastheU.S.economyhasgrown.
ExperiencewiththeCleanAirActsince1970hasshownthatprotectingpublichealthandbuildingtheeconomycangohandinhand.
CleanAirActprogramshaveloweredlevelsofsixcommonpollutants--particles,ozone,lead,carbonmonoxide,nitrogendioxideandsulfurdioxide--aswellasnumeroustoxicpollutants.
Between1970and2020,thecombinedemissionsofthesixcommonpollutants(PM2.5 andPM10,SO2,NOx,VOCs,COandPb)droppedby78percent.ThisprogressoccurredwhileU.S.economicindicatorsremainstrong.
Theemissionsreductionshaveledtodramaticimprovementsinthequalityoftheairthatwebreathe.Between1990and2020,nationalconcentrationsofairpollutantsimproved 73 percentforcarbonmonoxide,86 percentforlead(from2010),61 percentforannualnitrogendioxide,25 percentforozone,26percentfor24-hourcoarseparticleconcentrations,41percentforannualfineparticles(from2000),and91percentforsulfurdioxide.(Formoretrendsinformation,seeEPA's AirTrends site.)
Theseairqualityimprovementshaveenabledmanyareasofthecountrytomeetnationalairqualitystandardssettoprotectpublichealthandtheenvironment.Forexample,allofthe41areasthathadunhealthylevelsofcarbonmonoxidein1991nowhavelevelsthatmeetthehealth-basednationalairqualitystandard.AkeyreasonisthatthemotorvehiclefleetismuchcleanerbecauseofCleanAirActemissionsstandardsfornewmotorvehicles.
Airborneleadpollution,awidespreadhealthconcernbeforeEPAphasedoutleadinmotorvehiclegasolineunderCleanAirActauthority,nowmeetsnationalairqualitystandardsinmostareasofthecountry.
StateemissioncontrolmeasurestoimplementtheAct,aswellasEPA'snationalemissionsstandards,havecontributedtoairqualityimprovements.
BecauseoftheAct,Americansbreathelesspollutionandfacelowerrisksofprematuredeathandotherserioushealtheffects.
Apeer-reviewedEPAstudyissuedinMarch2011foundthattheCleanAirActAmendmentsof1990areachievinglargehealthbenefitsthatwillgrowfurtherovertimeasprogramstakefulleffect.
ThischartshowsthehealthbenefitsofCleanAirActprogramsthatreducelevelsoffineparticlesandozone.
HealthEffectReductions(PM2.5&OzoneOnly)
Pollutant(s)
Year2010
Year2020
PM2.5AdultMortality
PM
160,000
230,000
PM2.5InfantMortality
PM
230
280
OzoneMortality
Ozone
4,300
7,100
ChronicBronchitis
PM
54,000
75,000
AcuteBronchitis
PM
130,000
180,000
AcuteMyocardialInfarction
PM
130,000
200,000
AsthmaExcaberation
PM
1,700,000
2,400,000
HospitalAdmissions
PM,Ozone
86,000
135,000
EmergencyRoomVisits
PM,Ozone
86,000
120,000
RestrictedActivityDays
PM,Ozone
84,000,000
110,000,000
SchoolLossDays
Ozone
3,200,000
5,400,000
LostWorkDays
PM
13,000,000
17,000,000
The2011reportdidnotincludethelargebenefitsofthepre-1990CleanAirAct.Apeer-reviewed1997EPAReporttoCongressreviewedthebenefitsoftheActfrom1970to1990,andconcludedthatin1990alone,pollutionreductionsundertheActprevented205,000earlydeaths,10.4millionlostI.Q.pointsinchildrenduetoleadexposure,andmillionsofothercasesofhealtheffects.
Independentscientificresearchshowsthatreductionsinairpollutionareassociatedwithwidespreadpublichealthbenefits.Forexample,onestudyfoundthatreductionsinfineparticlepollutionbetween1980and2000inU.S.citiesledtoimprovementsinaveragelifeexpectancyatbirthofapproximatelysevenmonths.1
Environmentaldamagefromairpollutionisreduced.
Lowerairpollutionlevelsmeanlessdamagetothehealthofecosystems.
Environmentaleffectsofairpollutionincludedamagetoplantsandlong-termforesthealth,soilnutrientdeterioration,accumulationoftoxicsinthefoodchain,damagetofishandotheraquaticlifeinlakesandstreams,andnitrogenenrichmentofcoastalestuariescausingoxygendepletionandresultingharmtofishandotheraquaticanimalpopulations.
Reducingairpollutionalsoimprovescropandtimberyields,abenefitworthanestimated$5.5billiontothoseindustries'welfarein2010,accordingtothepeer-reviewedMarch2011EPAstudy. Bettervisibilityconditionsin2010fromimprovedairqualityinselectednationalparksandmetropolitanareashadanestimatedvalueof$34billion.
ThevalueofCleanAirActhealthbenefitsfarexceedsthecostsofreducingpollution.
EPA’speer-reviewed2011studyfoundthatcleanairprogramsestablishedbythe1990CAAamendmentsareexpectedtoyielddirectbenefitstotheAmericanpeoplewhichvastlyexceedcompliancecosts.
Thestudy'scentralbenefitsestimateof$2trillionin2020exceedscostsbyafactorofmorethan30-to-1,andthehighbenefitsestimateexceedscostsby90times.Eventhelowbenefitsestimateexceedscostsbyabout3-to-1.
Inadditiontodirectbenefitsvastlyexceedingdirectcosts,economy-widemodelingconductedforthestudyfoundthattheeconomicwelfareofAmericanhouseholdsisbetterwithpost-1990cleanairprogramsthanwithoutthem.
Economicwelfareandeconomicgrowthratesareimprovedbecausecleanerairmeansfewerair-pollution-relatedillnesses,whichinturnmeanslessmoneyspentonmedicaltreatmentsandlowerabsenteeismamongAmericanworkers.Thestudyprojectsthatthebeneficialeconomiceffectsofthesetwoimprovementsalonemorethanoffsettheexpendituresforpollutioncontrol.
TheEPAreportreceivedextensivereviewandinputfromtheCouncilonCleanAirComplianceAnalysis,anindependentpanelofdistinguishedeconomists,scientistsandpublichealthexpertsestablishedbyCongressin1991.
Newcars,trucks,andnonroadenginesusestate-of-the-artemissioncontroltechnologies.
EPAhasrequireddramaticreductionsinemissionsfromnewmotorvehiclesandnon-roadengines-suchasthoseusedinconstruction,agriculture,industry,trainsandmarinevessels--throughstandardsthatrequireacombinationofcleanerenginetechnologiesandcleanerfuels.In2013,EPAestimatedthebenefitsof fivekeystandardstocutemissionsfromvehicles,enginesandfuelto2030.
Comparedto1970vehiclemodels,newcars,SUVsandpickuptrucksareroughly99percentcleanerforcommonpollutants(hydrocarbons,carbonmonoxide,nitrogenoxidesandparticleemissions),whileAnnualVehicleMilesTraveledhasdramaticallyincreased.
Newheavy-dutytrucksandbusesareroughly99percentcleanerthan1970models.InAugust2016,EPA andthe U.S.DepartmentofTransportation’sNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA)jointlyfinalizedstandardsformedium-andheavy-dutyvehiclesthatwillimprovefuelefficiencyandcutcarbonpollution,whilebolsteringenergysecurityandspurringmanufacturinginnovation.
Startinginthe2014modelyear, locomotivesare90percentcleanerthanpre-regulationlocomotives.InMarch2008,EPAfinalizedathreepartprogramthatdramaticallyreducesemissionsfromdiesellocomotivesofalltypes--line-haul,switch,andpassengerrail.Therulecuts particulateemissionsfromtheseenginesbyasmuchas90percentandnitrogenoxidesemissionsbyasmuchas80percentwhenfullyimplemented.
Newcommercialmarinevessels(non-ocean-going)are90percentcleanerforparticleemissionsthanin1970.CleanAirActandinternationalstandardsforocean-goingvesselemissionsandfuelsarereducingemissionsfromocean-goingvesselsaswell.
EPAistakingactiontoreduceemissionscausedbyAircraft.In2016,EPAfinalizedfindingsthatGHGemissionsfromcertainclassesofenginesusedinaircraftcontributetotheairpollutionthatcausesclimatechangeendangeringpublichealthandwelfareundersection231(a)oftheCleanAirAct.
Sulfuringasolinehasbeenreducedby90percent,andsulfurindieselfuelhasbeenreducedby99percent,frompre-regulationlevels.
Newpowerplantsandfactoriesusemodernpollutioncontroltechnology.
TheActrequiresthatwhennewindustrialfacilitiesaredesignedandbuilt,goodpollutioncontrolmustbepartofthedesign.Thismeansthatasnew,cleanerfacilitiesarebuilt,thecountry'sindustrialbasebecomescleaneroverall.Publichealthisprotectedaseconomicgrowthproceeds.
Inareasnotmeetingairqualitystandards,toavoidmakingpollutionworse,newandmodifiedlargeplantsandfactoriesmustmeetthelowestachievableemissionrateandobtainoffsettingemissionsreductionsfromothersources.
Inareasthatmeetairqualitystandards,newandmodifiedlargeplantsandfactoriesmustapplythebestavailabletechnologyconsideringcostandavoidcausingsignificantdegradationofairqualityorvisibilityimpairmentinnationalparks.
Forexample,newcoal-firedpowerplantstypicallyinstallcontroldevicesthatcaptureupto98percentofthesulfurdioxideandinmanycases90percentofthenitrogenoxideemissions,relativetouncontrolledlevels.
Theserequirementsareappliedthroughpre-constructionpermittingprogramsthatareadministeredbystate,local,tribal,orEPApermittingauthorities,dependingonthelocation.
Stateandlocalpermittingauthoritiesusuallyadministerthepre-constructionpermitprogramsthatdeterminehowtoapplytheserequirementstofacilities.
Powerplantshavecutemissionsthatcauseacidrainandharmpublichealth.
Anationalsystemofmarketablepollutionallowanceshasdramaticallycutpowerplantemissionsofsulfurdioxide,reducingacidrainaswellassecondaryformationoffineparticlepollutionthatcontributestoprematuredeath.Acidrain,whichincludeswetanddrydepositionofacidiccompoundsfromtheatmosphere,resultsfromemissionsofsulfurdioxideandnitrogenoxides.
Reducingacidrainhassignificantlyreduceddamagetowaterqualityinlakesandstreams,andimprovedthehealthofecosystemsandforests.
Betweenthe1989to1991and2009to2011observationperiods,wetdepositionofsulfate(whichcausesacidification)decreasedbymorethan55percentonaverageacrosstheeasternUnitedStates.
Thedramaticemissionsreductionsachievedbytheacidrainprogramhavehelpedtoreduceatmosphericlevelsoffineparticlepollution,avoidingnumerousprematuredeaths.
Governmentandindependentanalyseshaveconcludedthatthebenefitsoftheprogramfaroutweighthecosts,asdetailedintheU.S.government'sNationalAcidPrecipitationAssessmentProgram(NAPAP)2011ReporttoCongress(PDF).(132pp,14.5MB,AboutPDF)
Multipleanalysesshowthatthecostofthefullyimplementedprogramisafractionoftheoriginallyestimatedcost-between$1-2billionannuallyratherthanthe$6billionEPAoriginallyestimatedin1990,accordingtotheNAPAPreport.
Interstateairpollutionhasbeenreduced.
FurtherreductionsinpowerplantpollutionhavebeenachievedbystateandEPAeffortstocutinterstateairpollution,achievingadditionalpublichealthbenefitsandhelpingdownwindstatesmeethealth-basedairqualitystandardsforfineparticlesandozone.
TwelveNewEnglandandmid-AtlanticstatesandtheDistrictofColumbia--theOzoneTransportRegioncreatedbythe1990Amendments--workedtogethertocreateanitrogenoxides(NOx)BudgetProgramandtoadoptothercontrolsthathelpimproveozonelevelsthroughouttheregion.
Buildingonthatsuccess,EPAissuedabroader“NOxSIPCall”RulecreatingasimilarNOxBudgetTradingProgramformuchoftheeasternUnitedStates,whichranfrom2003to2008.Asof2008,theprogramcutsummertimeNOxemissionsfrompowerplantsby62percentfrom2000levels.Thesereductions,alongwiththeNOxreductionsfromfederalmotorvehiclestandards,areresponsibleforsubstantialimprovementinozonelevelsacrosstheeasternUnitedStates.
ThesubsequentCleanAirInterstateRule(CAIR)hasachievedlargereductionsinpowerplantannualSO2andNOxemissionsthatcontributetofineparticles,aswellassomeadditionalsummertimeNOxreductionsbeyondthoserequiredbytheNOxSIPCall.
CAIR,whichhadinitialcompliancedeadlinesin2009and2010,isamajorreasonthatalmostallareasintheEasthavemetthe1997and2006airqualitystandardsforfineparticles.Inthe2005CAIRRegulatoryImpactAnalysis,EPAestimatedthatthereductionsfromtheCAIRrequirementswouldavoid13,000prematuredeathsayearin2010.
CAIRwasreplacedbytheCross-StateAirPollutionRule,asofJanuary1,2015toaddressthe1997ozoneNationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS).
OnSeptember7,2016,theEPArevisedtheCSAPRbyfinalizinganupdateforthe2008ozoneNAAQS,knownastheCSAPRUpdate. CSAPRUpdatewillfurtherreducesummertimeNOXemissionsfrompowerplantsintheeasternU.S.andhelpdownwindstatestomeetthenewozonestandards.
Mobileandindustrialpollutionsourcesreleasefarlesstoxicairpollutionthanin1990.
Stationarysourcestodayemitabout1.5milliontonslesstoxicairpollutionperyearthanin1990.2
EPAhasissuedemissionsstandardstocontroltoxicemissionsfromall174categoriesofmajorsources(e.g.,chemicalplants,oilrefineries,aerospacemanufacturingfacilities,etc.),aswellasfrom68categoriesofsmall“area”sourcesthatrepresent90percentoftheworsturbantoxicpollutants.3Stateshaveelectedtoadministerorenforcemanyofthesefederalstandards.
Toxicemissionsfromonroadandnonroadvehiclesandenginesalsoaredroppingduetorequirementsforcleanerfuelsandengines.4
Theseemissionsareprojectedtobereducedby80percentby2030from1990levels.
Onroadandnonroaddieselparticulatematteremissionsdecreasedbyabout27percentfrom1990to2005andareprojectedtobereducedanadditional90percentfrom2005to2030.
Airbornelevelsofbenzene,acarcinogenfoundingasoline,declinedby66percentfrom1994to2009basedonavailableairqualitymonitoringinformation.5
Mercuryemissionsfellbyabout 80percentbetween1990and2014.6EPAregulationsforseverallargesourcesofmercurysuchasmunicipalwastecombustionandmedicalwasteincinerationplayedasignificantrole.
Powerplantsremainthelargestman-madesourceofmercuryemissionsintheUnitedStates,emittingmorethanhalfofallemissionsofcertainairtoxics.
The2012MercuryandAirToxicsStandardsforpowerplantsrequirepowerplantstoreducetheiremissionsofmercuryandothertoxicairpollutants,protectingAmericansfromahostofavoidableillnessesandprematuredeath.
ThepollutantsreducedunderMATSareassociatedwithharmtothedevelopingnervoussystemsofunbornbabiesandchildren,cancer,andwithcontributingtoasthmaandotherrespiratorydiseases.
ThecompliancedateforMATSwasin2015,andpowerplantshavetakenstepssuchasinstallingcontrolsorupdatingoperationstomeetthesestandardsthatprotectpublichealth.
Thetechnologiesusedtoreducetoxicpollutionalsoreduce sulfurdioxideandfineparticlepollution, withadditionalbenefitsforpublichealth.
MATS wasestimatedto preventupto11,000prematuredeaths,4,700heartattacksand130,000asthmaattacksannuallybeginningin2016.
ThevalueofthequantifiedairqualityimprovementsfromMATSforpeople'shealthalonetotals$37billionto$90billioneachyear.Thatmeansthatforeverydollarspenttoreducethispollution,Americansget$3-9inhealthbenefits.ThesesignificanthealthbenefitsdonotincludethebenefitsassociatedwithreducingairtoxicsemittedfrompowerplantsbecauseEPAdoesnotatthistimehavetheabilitytoquantifysuchbenefits.Thus,theAgencyislikelyunderestimatingthebenefitsoftherule.
ThebenefitsofMATSarewidelydistributedandareespeciallyimportanttominorityandlowincomepopulationswhoaredisproportionatelyimpactedbyasthmaandotherdebilitatinghealthconditions.
Upto540,000missedworkor"sick"dayswereestimatedtobeavoidedeachyearbeginningin2016,enhancingproductivityandloweringhealthcarecostsforAmericanfamilies.
Actionstoprotecttheozonelayeraresavingmillionsofpeoplefromfatalskincancersandeyecataracts.
ActionstoprotectthestratosphericozonelayerwillsavemillionsofAmericanlivesfromskincancerbetween1990and2165.Theactionsalsowillavoidhundredsofmillionsofnon-fatalskincancersandtensofmillionsofcasesofeyecataractsforAmericansbornbetween1985and2100,accordingtoapeer-reviewed1999EPAstudy.
TheUnitedStatesisoneof197countriesthatarepartiestotheMontrealProtocol,aninternationaltreatytoprotecttheozonelayer.In2012thetreatymarkedits25thanniversary.HelpingdevelopingcountriescomplythroughmechanismsliketheMontrealProtocol'sMultilateralFund(MLF)willhelpassuresuccessinrestoringtheozonelayer.Scientistsestimaterecoverybythemiddleofthe21stcentury.
ConsistentwiththeMontrealProtocol,theCleanAirActrequiresthatEPAdevelopandimplementregulationsfortheresponsiblemanagementofozone-depletingsubstancesintheUnitedStatestohelprestoretheozonelayer.Thelawusesmultipletoolsincludingthephase-outofcertainchemicals,bansonnonessentialproductscontainingormadewithsuchchemicals,andprohibitionofthereleaseofozone-depletingrefrigerantsduringtheservice,maintenance,anddisposalofairconditionersandotherrefrigerationequipment.
TheUnitedStatesalreadyhasphasedouttheozonedepletingsubstancesthatCongressidentifiedas"mostdamaging,"suchasCFCsandhalons.
Thephase-outforClassIsubstanceswasimplemented4-6yearsfaster,included13morechemicals,andcost30percentlessthanwaspredictedatthetimethe1990CleanAirActAmendmentswereenacted.EPA'speer-reviewed1999studyfoundthatundertheprimaryestimate,everydollarinvestedinozonelayerprotectionprovides$20ofsocietalhealthbenefitsintheUnitedStates,andthatafteraccountingforuncertainties,thebenefitsstillfaroutweighthecosts.
Thescenicvistasinournationalparksareclearerduetoreductionsinpollution-causedhaze.
Theacidrainprogram,interstateairpollutionrules,motorvehiclerulesanddieselsulfurruleshavedramaticallycutsulfurdioxideandnitrogenoxideemissionsthatcontributetofineparticlepollution.Thishasimprovedvisibilityoverbroadregions,includingmanyofournationalparks.
FurthervisibilityimprovementsareanticipatedfromtheregionalhazeprogrammandatedbyCongress.AsofJanuary15,2013,EPAhastakenmorethan100proposedorfinalactions onRegionalHazeStateImplementationPlans.Outof52requiredplans,thereare 45plansinplacetoensurecontrolofemissionsthatimpairvisibilityinnationalparksandwildernessareas.
States,tribes,andfivemulti-jurisdictionalregionalplanningorganizationsworkedtogethertodevelopthetechnicalbasisfortheseplans.Comprehensiveperiodicrevisionstotheseinitialplansarecurrentlyduein2018,2028,andevery10yearsthereafter.
EPAhastakeninitialstepsundertheActtolimitemissionsthatcauseclimatechangeandoceanacidification.
Consistentwitha2007SupremeCourtdecision,EPAin2009completedascientificdeterminationthatgreenhousegasesintheatmospherearereasonablyanticipatedtoendangerthepublichealthandwelfareofcurrentandfuturegenerationsandthatemissionsofgreenhousegasesfromnewmotorvehiclescontributestothisairpollution.
EPA'sfirststepstoreduceharmfulgreenhousegaspollutionfocusedonmotorvehicles.Transportationsourcesin2010wereresponsibleformorethanaquarterofU.S.greenhousegasemissions.7
EPAandtheNationalHighwayandTrafficSafetyAdministrationworkedtogethertosetgreenhousegasandfueleconomystandardsforpassengervehiclesinmodelyears2012-2016and2017-2025.
Overthelifeofthesevehicles,thestandardswillsaveanestimated$1.7trillionforconsumersandbusinessesandcutAmerica'soilconsumptionby12billionbarrels,whilereducinggreenhousegasemissionsby6billionmetrictons.
EPA'sandNHTSA'sstandardsforheavy-dutytrucksandbuses,whichwereissuedinAugust2011,presentlargesimilarbenefits.Thefinalphasetwoprogram, finalizedinAugustof2016, promotesanewgenerationofcleaner,morefuel-efficienttrucksbyencouragingthewiderapplicationofcurrentlyavailabletechnologiesandthedevelopmentofnewandadvancedcost-effectivetechnologiesthroughmodelyear2027.
InJanuary2011,statesandEPAinitiatedCleanAirActpermittingofgreenhousegaspollutionfromthelargestnewandmodifiedstationarysources.Inthefirstyearofpermitting,dozensoflargesourcessuchaspowerplants,cementplants,refineriesandsteelmillsreceivedpre-constructionpermitsforgreenhousegasemissions.
OnAugust3,2015, PresidentObamaandtheEPAunveiledthe CleanPowerPlan--ahistoricandimportantstepinreducingcarbonpollutionfrompowerplants.OnFebruary9,2016,theSupremeCourtstayedimplementationoftheCleanPowerPlanpendingjudicialreview.TheCourt’sdecisionwasnotonthemeritsoftherule. EPAfirmlybelievestheCleanPowerPlanwillbeupheldwhenthe merits areconsidered because therule restsonstrongscientificandlegalfoundations.
OnMay12,2016EPAissuedthreefinalrulesthattogetherwillcurbemissionsofmethane,smog-formingvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs)andtoxicairpollutantssuchasbenzenefromnew,reconstructedandmodifiedoilandgassources.
OnOctober15,2016,withtheUnitedStates’leadership,197countriesadopted anamendmenttophasedownHFCsundertheMontrealProtocol inKigali,Rwanda.HFCsaregreenhousegaseswhichcanhavewarmingimpactshundredstothousandsoftimesmorepotentthancarbondioxide.Undertheamendment,countriescommittedtocuttheproductionandconsumptionofHFCsbymorethan80percentoverthenext30years.
TheActhasprompteddeploymentofcleantechnologies,andhashelpedprovideimpetusfortechnologyinnovationsthatreduceemissionsandcontrolcosts.
Catalysts,scrubbers,andlow-VOCpaintsandcoatings,arepartofalonglistoftechnologiesthatwerenotknownin1970,butareprovenandwidelydeployedtoday.Examplesinclude:
Selectivecatalyticreduction(SCR)andultra-lowNOxburnersforNOxemissions
Scrubberswhichachieve95percentandevengreaterSO2controlonboilers
Sophisticatednewvalvesealsandleakdetectionequipment,includingcamerasthatcanseeleaks, forrefineriesandchemicalplans
LoworzeroVOCpaints,consumerproductsandcleaningprocesses
Chlorofluorocarbon(CFC)andhydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFC)-freeairconditioners,refrigerators,aerosolspraysandcleaningsolvents
Waterandpowder-basedcoatingstoreplacepetroleum-basedformulations
Vehiclesfarcleanerthanbelievedpossibleinthelate1980sduetoimprovementsinevaporativecontrols,catalystdesignandfuelcontrolsystemsforlight-dutyvehicles;andtreatmentdevicesandretrofittechnologiesforheavy-dutyengines
Idle-reductiontechnologiesforengines,includingtruckstopelectrificationefforts
Marketpenetrationofgas-electrichybridvehicles,andcleanfuels
Routineuseofcontinuousmonitoringtechnologythatprovidesdatamorequickly
Multi-pollutantmonitorsthathelpsustobetterunderstandthecomplexnatureofairpollution
References
1Pope,C.A.III,E.Majid,andD.Dockery,2009.“FineParticleAirPollutionandLifeExpectancyintheUnitedStates,”NewEnglandJournalofMedicine,360:376-386.
2EPA,AirToxicsWebSite,AboutAirToxics.(Forthelatestinformationaboutreducingairtoxics,seethewebpage,ReducingEmissionsofHazardousAirPollutants.
3EPA, AirToxicsWebSite,RulesandImplementation.
4MobileemissionsestimatesarebasedonmodelingrunsconductedusingtheMOVES2010highwayvehicleemissionsmodelingsystemandtheNONROAD2008emissionsmodelfornonroadsources,aswellashistoricalandprojectedactivityandemissionratedataforaircraft,marinevesselsandlocomotives.
5EstimatesofthechangeinnationalbenzeneemissionsarebasedonbenzeneambientairmonitoringdatainEPA'sAirQualitySystem(U.S.EPA,2010),usingthesubsetofbenzenemonitoringstationsthathavesufficientdatatoassesstrendssince1994.
6Mercuryemissionsdatafor1990,2005,and2008featuredintable7intheEPA2008NationalEmissionsInventory,Version2 TechnicalSupportDocument, June2012draft.
7EPA,(April2012)InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks;1990-2010.
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