Despite more than three decades of progress in cleaning up the air in U.S. cities, there are still times in most urban areas when a breath of fresh air can be hard to find. Pollutants from a host of sources still make skylines fuzzy, and the acrid tinge of ozone is now an inescapable part of a hot day in the city. Air pollution in American cities causes 60,000 deaths each year, according to a 1991 EPA survey. 

Global-scale air pollution problems, the depletion of the ozone layer, and worldwide climatic change present formidable challenges. A consensus has developed among scientists in recent years that the buildup of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere due to the combustion of fossil fuels is causing average worldwide temperatures to increase, and that if this greenhouse effect continues it will eventually cause dramatic climatic changes.  

Considerable progress has been made since the ‘60s in controlling "point sources" of pollution — relatively large volumes of contaminants that issue from a fixed source such as the stack of an industrial boiler. Air pollution from "diffuse sources," on the other hand, have proven much more difficult to control. Diffuse pollution issues from backyards, businesses and boulevards throughout an urban area, which can make monitoring and controlling it next to impossible.  

Pollution Prevention (P2) is the only practical way of dealing with the air pollution from automobiles, air-borne dust, barbecue grills, paints and paint strippers, household cleansers and many other diffuse sources. Measures that lead to more efficient automobile engines or to consumer products that minimize emissions into indoor or outdoor air can effectively prevent pollution.  

This section introduces some key strategies and resources to prevent air pollution in your community.

Back to Top