1. Reducing Air Pollution
Relevant Laws and Prevention Strategies

2. Clean Air Act
U.S. Congress passed the Clean Air Acts in 1970, 1977, and 1990 enforced by states and major cities.
Directs the EPA to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for six outdoor criteria pollutants.

3. Clean Air Act Primary standard—protect human health
Secondary standard—prevent environmental and property damage
Each standard specifies the maximum allowable level for a pollutant, averaged over a specific period.

4. SUCCESS!!!
For the most part, this act has been very successful with meaningful drops in the six criteria pollutants since its passage.
Primary Pollutant
Reduction Percentage
(2009 EPA report)
Lead
78%
Carbon Monoxide
68%
VOCs
54%
Particulate Matter
(<10 microns)
(<2.5 microns)
31% 8%
Sulfur Dioxide
59%
Nitrogen Oxide
35%
Ground Level Ozone
14%
CO2 up by 16%

6. TRI Law
EPA also has established national emission standards for more than 188 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that may cause health and ecological effects.
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Vocs
Toxic metal compounds
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
TRI law passed in 1990 requires 21,500 refineries, power plants, mines, chemical manufacturers, and factories to report their releases and waste management methods for 667 toxic chemicals

7. FAILURES 
Continuing to rely on pollution cleanup rather than prevention.
Ban on leaded gasoline attributed to major drop in this pollutant, yet other substances have not been banned.
Older coal-burning plants, cement plants, oil refineries, and waste incinerators have not been required to meet the air pollution standards for new facilities under CAAs
Congress has not required increase in the fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles.

8. FAILURES  Inadequate regulation of two-cycle gasoline engines.
Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, jet skis, etc.
1-hour ride on a typical jet ski produces the same amount of pollution as the average car does in 1 year.
No regulation of airports and oceangoing ships in American ports.
Clean Air Acts do not deal with reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Nothing to deal with indoor pollution
BETTER ENFORCEMNT (cap and trade)

9. What can we do? Stationary Source Motor Vehicle Burn low-sulfur coal
Remove sulfur from coal
Convert coal to a liquid or gaseous fuel
Shift to less polluting fuels
Disperse emissions above thermal inversion layer
Remove pollutants in smokestacks
Tax each unit of pollution produced
Mass transit
Bicycles and walking
Less polluting engines
Improve fuel efficiency
Remove older cars
Give tax incentives for buying energy-efficient cars
Restrict driving in polluted areas
Car exhaust inspections
Stricter emission standards

10. Individuals Matter