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How Air Pollutants Affect Us and The Environment

Did you know that the EPA has identified 187 different types of hazardous air pollutants? That number is staggering and poses a potential threat to the environment and human health. Some of these types of air pollutants are found in everyday products that we may not even be aware of and the risks that they present. Gasoline contains benzene, and these are substances such as asbestos, mercury, and lead. Methylene Chloride is used as a paint stripper. A lot of these toxins have been proven to cause cancer, and birth defects, and have negative effects on the environment in general.

The majority of air toxins come from trucks and buses and refineries and power plants. Also, there are natural causing toxins being released from volcanoes erupting and forest fires. We are exposed to these pollutants from breathing contaminated air, and drinking water when this containment’s either fall into our streams and lakes or when a landfill leaches into our underground drinking water. Just touching soil or dust that has come in contact with some of this hazardous waste can lead to exposure.

We can also unwittingly eat fish or animals that have been exposed to these toxins, mercury poison is becoming more common today in the fish we eat. Another area of concern is Urban Toxins. Because of crowded cities, there are 30 urban air toxins that advance a greater threat to these localities. And the denser the urban environment the higher concentrations of hazardous air pollutants. All you have to do is stand on the corner of a major city and you can visibly see all the pollution being emitted from the exhaust of cars and buses. And noise pollution is just as problematic. But that is another subject worth considering, however.

Greenhouse gases are a huge problem facing every country today. Basically, greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. The 4 major gases that contribute to this problem are; Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Fluorinated Gases. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas. Methane emissions enter the atmosphere when oil and coal are produced. Nitrous Oxide is distributed during certain agricultural activities. Fluorinated Gases are gases such as chlorofluorocarbons. Carbon dioxide by far makes the largest contribution to our atmosphere with a percentage of 81%.

What is the EPA doing to help lessen dangerous hazardous air pollutants? They are developing regulatory initiatives to help reduce the emission of these gasses from the source. One example is the Clean Power Plan which works with power plant owners to help reduce emissions. They are also working with the International community and local governments to educate the public on the dangers air pollutants present and by monitoring our environment.

The Office of Research and Development conducts research to understand the impact of hazardous wastes impacts the atmosphere and are providing solutions to help lessen the effect of these gases. We still have a long way to go but we are beginning to see results from these initiatives that hopefully, one day we will have a toxic-free atmosphere.