Air Toxics
Toxic air pollutants, also known as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), are those pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects. U.S. EPA currently regulates 187 HAPs.
Technology Based Program
Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has provided the primary framework for protecting
people and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.
In the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, Congress directed U.S. EPA to use
a technology-based approach to significantly reduce emissions of air toxics
from major stationary sources of air pollution, followed by a risk-based
approach to address any remaining, or residual risks. Under the technology-based
approach, U.S. EPA develops standards for controlling the emissions of
air toxics from each major type of facility within an industry group.
These standards, known as Maximum
Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards, are based on emission
levels that are already being achieved by the better-controlled and lower-emitting
sources in an industry. Region 5's role in the Technology Based Program
emphasizes enforcement.
Risk Based Program
Eight years after each MACT standard is issued, U.S. EPA must assess the
remaining health risks from sources categories. U.S. EPA has started
to shift its focus to the residual risk assessments for some MACT standards.
If results show there is significant risk remaining, U.S. EPA would implement
additional standards. Region 5's role in the Risk Based Program emphasizes
community risk assessments and related activities, risk reduction, outreach
and education. In risk assessments and related activities, Region 5 supports
the development of emission inventories, collects and analyses monitoring
data, and participates in many levels of risk assessments. Region 5's
risk reduction activities include voluntary reduction programs, assessing
compliance with MACT regulations, and assisting States with rule development.
Finally, Region 5 provides outreach and education to State and local agencies,
Tribal programs, community groups, and Industry.
In addition to the stationary source air toxics program efforts listed above, U.S. EPA continues to address air toxics associated with Area Sources, Mobile Sources, Indoor Air (which includes but is not limited to asthma, mold, secondhand smoke, and radon), Climate Change, Atmospheric Deposition (which includes but is not limited to dioxin, mercury, nitrogen, and pesticides). U.S. EPA Region 5 also has a Waste, Pesticides, and Toxics Division. The Toxics Section has some information on their website.
Announcement:
Region 5 States Modeling Meeting Agenda and Presentations from December 6-7, 2007
Rule and Regulatory Information Sources
- Hazardous Air Pollutants Information - Title I of the Clean Air Act Amendments
- 40 C.F.R. Part 63
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) Unified Air Toxics Website
- Clean Air Act Section 112 (a) through (s)
- Clean Air Act Section 112(l) Delegations to Region 5 States
- Memorandum of Agreement between Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. EPA, Region 5
- Potential to Emit Policy Memo for MACT Standards
- Other Potential to Emit Policy Memos
Human Health and Risk Assessment Information Sources
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) Unified Air Toxics Website
- Risk and Technology Review
- Air Toxics Risk Assessment Reference Library
- National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) website
- Fate, Exposure, and Risk Analysis (FERA) website
- Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Explorer
- Fact Sheets for Hazardous Air Pollutants
- Air Pollution and Health Risk
- Air Quality Where You Live
- Risk Assessment for Toxic Air Pollutants - A Citizen's Guide
- Evaluating Exposures to Toxic Air Pollutants: A Citizen's Guide
- Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Database
- Dose-Response Assessment for Assessing Health Risks Associated With Exposure to Hazardous Air Pollutants
- Community Based Air Toxics Projects
- Reports of the Presidential/Congressional Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk Management (1997)
- Understanding Risk (National Research Council, 1996)
- Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment (National Research Council, 1994)
- ToxNet (a cluster of databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related areas)
Other Information Sources
- Air Toxics and the Great Lakes
- Ambient Air Toxics Monitoring in Region 5
- Tri-State Geographic Initiative
- The Great Lakes Information Network
- Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN) Air Toxics Monitoring Network
- Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy
- Emissions Inventory Information
- The Great Lakes States, Ontario, and U.S. EPA Are Creating a Regional Air Toxics Emissions Inventory of Point, Area, and Mobile Sources
- Centralized Air emissions Repository OnLine (CAROL)
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
- General Information on Clean Air Technology Center Products
External Links to Related Information
Below are links to other web sites that may have useful information about Region 5 States Air Toxic Programs. These links are provided for convenience only and no endorsement by EPA is intended. By visiting these non-EPA sites, you leave the domain of EPA and assumes any responsibility for any aspect of these sites, nor for your use of these sites. Information contained on these sites can in no way be assumed to replace EPA guidance or policies.
Region 5 States Air Toxic Programs
- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Air Program
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management Air Program
- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Air Toxics Program
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Air Toxics Program
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Air Toxics Program
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Air Toxics Program