Cleaner air for Tennessee
Tennessee's air quality has improved dramatically
since the federal Clean Air Act was passed in 1970. Until just recently,
all of Tennessee complied with all federal air quality health standards.
Nevertheless, some Tennessee counties do not meet stricter new federal
health standards for ground-level ozone
and particulate
matter (PM 2.5). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has set new health standards based on scientific evidence
of health impacts from these pollutants.
What is air pollution?
When particulate matter (very tiny specks of solids
or liquid droplets) or certain gases (chemicals that hang in the
air) are present in the air, the air is polluted. Many of the gases
are invisible.
Air pollution comes from many different sources
such as factories, power plants, dry cleaners, cars, buses, trucks
and even wind-blown dust and wildfires. Air pollution can threaten
the health of human beings, trees, lakes, crops, and animals, as
well as damage the ozone layer, buildings and materials. Air pollution
also can cause haze, which reduces visibility in national parks
and wilderness areas.
Why should we be concerned about air pollution?
In many U.S. cities, activities such as driving
cars and trucks; burning coal, oil, and other fossil fuels; and
manufacturing chemicals pollute the air we breathe. Air pollution
can even come from smaller, everyday activities such as dry cleaning,
filling your car with gas, and degreasing and painting operations.
These activities add gases and particles to the air we breathe.
When these gases and particles accumulate in the air in high enough
concentrations, they can harm our health and our environment. Larger
populations in cities and surrounding counties lead to more cars,
trucks, industrial and commercial operations, and generally means
more pollution.
Air pollution is a problem for all of us. The average
adult breathes over 3,000 gallons of air every day. Children breathe
even more air per pound of body weight and are more susceptible
to air pollution. Many air pollutants remain in the environment
for long periods and are carried by the winds hundreds of miles
from their origin. Millions of people live in areas where ozone,
very small particles and toxic pollutants pose serious health concerns.
Air pollution can make you sick, damage the environment,
damage property, cause haze (which reduces visibility) and costs
us money.
|