What is Carbon Monoxide?, Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can be harmful when inhaled in large amounts. CO is released when something is burned. The greatest sources of CO to outdoor air are cars, trucks and other vehicles or machinery that burn fossil fuels. A variety of items in your home such as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, and gas stoves also release CO…, What are the harmful effects of CO?, Breathing air with a high concentration of CO reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the blood stream to critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, which are possible indoors or in other enclosed environments, CO can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and death. Very high levels of CO are not likely to occur outdoors. However, when CO levels are…, What is being done about CO pollution?, Under the Clean Air Act, EPA sets and reviews standards for CO in outdoor air. Setting and Reviewing Standards to Control CO Pollution EPA standards and data help state, tribal and local agencies to make sure that CO is kept at a safe level. Learn about how air quality standards help reduce CO
How does lead get in the air?, Sources of lead emissions vary from one area to another. At the national level, major sources of lead in the air are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation fuel. Other sources are waste incinerators, utilities, and lead-acid battery manufacturers. The highest air concentrations of lead are usually found near lead smelters., What are the effects of lead on human health?, Once taken into the body, lead distributes throughout the body in the blood and is accumulated in the bones. Depending on the level of exposure, lead can adversely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system, reproductive and developmental systems and the cardiovascular system. Lead exposure also affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. The lead effects most likely to…, What are the effects of lead on ecosystems?, Lead is persistent in the environment and can be added to soils and sediments through deposition from sources of lead air pollution. Other sources of lead to ecosystems include direct discharge of waste streams to water bodies and mining. Elevated lead in the environment can result in decreased growth and reproduction in plants and animals, and neurological effects in vertebrates.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water, and soil. It exists in several forms –elemental (also known as metallic mercury), inorganic, and organic. Mercury is a liquid metal that easily evaporates, giving off invisible, odorless, and toxic vapors. Mercury cannot be created or destroyed., Mercury in the Environment, Mercury is released into the environment from many sources. Mercury becomes airborne when rocks erode, volcanoes erupt and soil decomposes. It then circulates in the atmosphere and is redistributed throughout the environment. Human activities, such as burning coal, oil, and natural gas as well as burning household trash and mining, add mercury to the environment. Once in the air, mercury falls to…, Learn more about mercury in the environment, ., Health Risks of Mercury Exposure, Mercury is toxic. Exposure to mercury – even in small amounts – may cause serious health problems. People can be exposed to mercury through skin contact, by eating contaminated fish, or by breathing mercury vapors., Learn more about the health risks of mercury, ., Mercury in the Home, While some manufacturers have reduced or eliminated the use of mercury in their products, there are still many products that we use every day in our homes that contain mercury. Some products are made with mercury added to perform a specific function. These products are called "mercury-added products." Other products may have small amounts of mercury in them because a chemical used in the…, Learn more about mercury in the home, . Learn more about mercury via the following links:, How to Reduce Mercury, SC Mercury Assessment and Reduction Initiative, Mercury in the Environment, Fish Consumption Advisories, Health Risks of Mercury, Mercury in the Home, Report It!
Alternative Transportation (Brochure) Automobile Emissions Overview (EPA) Drive Green: Be Car Care Aware Car Care Event Protocol (DHEC) Green Driver Project: Roads Scholar (Poster) Driving Smarter for Tomorrow (Brochure) Ethanol as an Alternative Fuel (Fact Sheet) Fuel Economy Idling Vehicles: What You Can Do [Español] (Fact Sheet)
Overview, As part of the air permitting process, facilities in South Carolina are required to demonstrate that the emissions coming from their sources will not cause the violation of any applicable South Carolina air pollution control regulations or standards. It is a required part of many air construction permits (including all Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permits) and some…, Who Needs to Use It?, An air dispersion model is a set of mathematical equations that relates the release of air pollutants from emission sources to the corresponding concentration of pollutants in the ambient air. These models are tools used to determine if the emissions from a source can meet a specific ambient air standard. Regulations may allow other approaches, but air dispersion modeling is typically the least…
Final Regulation (pdf) (This is the final Federal regulation dated 10/29/2009) Fact Sheet (pdf) (This is a detailed fact sheet describing the regulation) EPA Brochure (pdf) (This is the Federal brochure describing the Federal regulation) Initial Notification (doc) (This is an example form that may be used for the required initial notification) Initial Notification (pdf) (This is an example form…
General Guidance Boilers Chemical Manufacturing Gasoline Dispensing Iron and Steel Foundries Paint Stripping, Autobody Shops, Surface Coating Plating and Polishing Report it! Permit Central
Final Regulation (pdf) (This is the final Federal regulation dated 03/21/2011) Proposed Notice (pdf) of Selected Reconsiderations (This is the Federal proposed notice to reconsider certain portions of the final regulation dated 03/21/2011) Fact Sheet (pdf) (This is a detailed fact sheet describing the regulation) Initial Notification (doc) (This is an EPA example form that may be used for the…
Reporting Forms, Ongoing Compliance Report, Subpart N Annual Certification and Compliance Report with Visible Emissions, Subpart 6X Annual Certification and Compliance Report without Visible Emissions, Subpart 6X, Important Links, EPA's Air Toxics Website EPA's Area Source Website MACT Standards by alphabetical order (EPA) Small Business Environmental Assistance Program RICE NESHAP Applicability Tool