National Emissions Standards Act - Reducing Toxic Air Pollutants

Reducing Toxic Air Pollutants

Toxic air pollutants are the suspected cause of major illnesses and issues with reproductive problems. These pollutants stay in the environment for long periods, which can affect all living things and start a chain of negative events. In particular, smokestacks and automobiles are the two main sources of toxic air pollutants. When refueling, the gases turn into vapor that leak into the air. "Before the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, EPA regulated air toxics one chemical at a time." The EPA now regulates pollutants by categories of industries because they release more than one chemical at a time. Some of the categories are, chemical plants, incinerators, dry cleaners, and manufacturers of wood furniture. Since the 1990 Clean Air Act, air toxics from large industries have already been reduced by 70 percent.

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