Greta Jimenez
Toxic pollutants are substances that cause or are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, or other serious harm to human health and the environment. The Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act in the US are two pieces of legislation that address toxic pollutants. The Clean Water Act includes the Toxic Pollutant List, which was developed in 1976 and added to the Act by Congress in 1977. The list contains broad categories of pollutants, so the EPA created the Priority Pollutant List in 1977 to make it more practical for water testing and regulatory purposes. The Clean Air Act, on the other hand, requires the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six common air pollutants, known as criteria air pollutants. These pollutants are found all over the US and can cause harm to human health, the environment, and property damage.
Characteristics of Toxic Pollutants
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Air, water, and land pollutants |
| Sources | Coal-fired power plants, industries, refineries, vehicles, building materials, consumer products, etc. |
| Composition | Gases (e.g. hydrogen chloride, benzene, methane), compounds, metals (e.g. asbestos, cadmium, mercury), hydrocarbons, etc. |
| Health Effects | Cancer, birth defects, serious illnesses, increased mortality, respiratory issues, cardiovascular issues, etc. |
| Regulatory Action | Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Toxics Consent Decree, Priority Pollutant List, National Ambient Air Quality Standards, etc. |
| Regulatory Bodies | EPA, US Congress, California Air Resources Board, State Board |
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What You'll Learn
Toxic air pollutants
Sources of toxic air pollutants include emissions from coal-fired power plants, industries, refineries, vehicles, and accidents at industrial facilities or during the transport of hazardous materials. Indoor air can also contain hazardous pollutants from tobacco smoke, building materials, and consumer products. These pollutants can settle into waterways, affecting drinking water sources and the ecosystem.
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to regulate hazardous air pollutants from industrial facilities in two phases. The EPA uses emissions and ambient monitoring data to develop regulatory programs that limit emissions from stationary sources. The Toxics Release Inventory provides information on releases of toxic chemicals into the environment through air, water, and land from manufacturing facilities.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has identified toxic air contaminants (TACs) pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act and the state's Health and Safety Code. CARB's streamlined regulation identified 189 federal hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) as TACs, which are known or potential hazards to human health or the environment. The State Board determines threshold exposure levels for identified substances, specifying when no significant adverse health effects are anticipated.
While the focus has been on reducing urban air toxics, it is important to address indoor air quality and continue advocating for cleaner air to mitigate the health risks associated with toxic air pollutants.
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Toxic water pollutants
In 1976, the Toxic Pollutant List was developed and added to the Clean Water Act by Congress in 1977. This list was created to address the problems of toxics in waterways and ensure that Effluent Guidelines regulations, water quality criteria, and standards were met. However, the list consisted of broad categories of pollutants rather than specific, individual pollutants. As a result, the Priority Pollutant List was developed in 1977 to make the identification and regulation of toxic pollutants more practical for water testing purposes.
- Nutrient Pollution: Nutrient pollution is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water. It is the leading threat to water quality worldwide and can result in algal blooms, which are harmful to both people and wildlife. These blooms can also produce neurotoxins, impacting various forms of wildlife, from sea turtles to whales.
- Chemical Pollution: Chemicals used in agriculture, industry, and municipalities can contaminate water sources. These chemicals may include pesticides, solvents, and toxic sludge.
- Heavy Metals: Heavy metals, such as arsenic, hexavalent chromium (chromium-6), and radiological contaminants like radium and uranium, can contaminate water through natural occurrences or human activities such as mining and industrial processes. These metals are harmful to human health, with arsenic and chromium-6 known to increase the risk of cancer.
- Pathogens: Pathogens, including bacteria and viruses, can enter water sources through agricultural runoff and untreated sewage. They pose risks to human health and can cause illnesses.
- Oil and Grease: Oil and grease from various land-based sources, such as factories, farms, and cities, can contaminate waterways. Oil spills from tankers also contribute to this type of water pollution.
It is important to note that the specific toxic water pollutants of concern may vary depending on the region and the sources of water contamination present in that area. Additionally, the regulatory definitions and classifications of toxic pollutants may differ across jurisdictions.
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Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is a comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. The Act was designed to combat a variety of air pollution problems and address emerging pollution threats. It calls for state, local, tribal, and federal governments to work in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean the air.
The Clean Air Act has been instrumental in reducing air pollution and protecting public health. Since 1990, there has been an approximate 50% decline in emissions of key air pollutants. The Act has helped curb major environmental and health threats, including acid rain, urban air pollution, toxic air emissions, and stratospheric ozone depletion.
Section 112 of the Clean Air Act specifically addresses emissions of hazardous air pollutants. "Major sources" of these pollutants are defined as stationary sources that emit or have the potential to emit 10 tons or more of a hazardous pollutant per year. For these major sources, the EPA establishes emission standards that require the maximum degree of reduction in hazardous air pollutant emissions, known as "maximum achievable control technology" or "MACT" standards.
The EPA has classified 188 pollutants as hazardous, including gases such as hydrogen chloride, benzene, and toluene, and compounds and metals such as asbestos, cadmium, mercury, and chromium. These toxic air pollutants are known to cause or are strongly suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, and other serious health issues.
The EPA maintains nationwide databases that provide information on emissions, and the National Air Toxics Assessment reports on 33 air toxics that pose the greatest threat to public health in urban areas. The Clean Air Act also established a national operating permits program and strengthened enforcement to ensure better compliance with the Act.
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Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary US law governing pollution control and water quality in the country's waterways. The CWA establishes the basic structure for regulating the discharge of pollutants into US waters and sets quality standards for surface waters.
The CWA was enacted in 1972 as an amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948. It was further amended in 1977, with the addition of the Toxic Pollutant List, which was developed in 1976. The list was intended to be used as a starting point for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and individual states to address the problems of toxics in waterways. It contains 65 entries, many of which are groups of pollutants, such as "haloethers" and "chlorinated benzenes", rather than individual pollutants.
The EPA also developed the Priority Pollutant List in 1977 to make the implementation of the Toxic Pollutant List more practical for water testing and regulatory purposes. This list includes individual chemical names, making it more usable for testing and regulation.
The CWA makes it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into US waters without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The EPA issues technology-based effluent guidelines that establish discharge standards based on available and economically feasible treatment technologies. The EPA also regulates waste streams from offshore oil and gas activities and funds the construction of sewage treatment plants.
The CWA also includes the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation, which sets requirements for preventing, preparing for, and responding to oil discharges at non-transportation-related facilities. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 amended the CWA, increasing penalties for non-compliance and broadening the federal government's response and enforcement authorities.
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Priority Pollutant List
The Priority Pollutant List was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1977 to make the implementation of the Toxic Pollutant List more practical for water testing and regulatory purposes. The Toxic Pollutant List, developed in 1976, was added to the Clean Water Act by Congress in 1977. It was intended to be used by the EPA and states as a starting point to ensure that Effluent Guidelines regulations, water quality criteria and standards, and NPDES permit requirements addressed the problems of toxics in waterways. However, this list consisted of broad categories of pollutants rather than specific, individual pollutants.
The Priority Pollutant List is more practical for testing and regulation as it lists chemicals by their individual names. The list of toxic pollutants, in contrast, contains open-ended groups of pollutants, such as "chlorinated benzenes," which contain hundreds of compounds. There is no test for the group as a whole, nor is it practical to regulate or test for all of these compounds. The Priority Pollutants are a set of identified chemical pollutants that are regulated by the EPA, for which the EPA has published analytical testing methods to be used by manufacturers in determining the presence of the chemicals and their toxicity.
The EPA used four criteria to select and prioritize specific pollutants for the Priority Pollutant List:
- All pollutants specifically named on the list of toxic pollutants were included.
- There had to be a chemical standard available for the pollutant, so that testing for the pollutant could be performed.
- The pollutant had to have been reported as found in water with a frequency of occurrence of at least 2.5%.
- The pollutant had to have been produced in significant quantities, as reported in Stanford Research Institute's "1976 Directory of Chemical Producers, USA."
Originally, there were 129 pollutants on the list. When three pollutants were removed from the list of toxic pollutants in 1981, they were also removed from the Priority Pollutant List. Entry numbers 17, 49, and 50 were removed. The last number on the list is still 129, although there are 126 entries. The Priority Pollutant List was included to support regulations for the Steam Electric Power Generating Category. Although the other sections within Part 423 apply only to the Steam Electric Power Generating Category, the Priority Pollutant List in Appendix A is not limited in terms of its relevance to that one industrial category.
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Frequently asked questions
Toxic pollutants are substances that cause or are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, or other serious harm. They can be gases, compounds, or metals.
Some examples of toxic pollutants include hydrogen chloride, benzene, toluene, asbestos, cadmium, mercury, chromium, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates toxic pollutants. The EPA maintains a Toxic Pollutant List, which was first developed in 1976 and added to the Clean Water Act in 1977. The list includes broad categories of pollutants, such as "chlorinated benzenes," which can contain hundreds of compounds.
Major sources of toxic pollutants include emissions from coal-fired power plants, industries, refineries, and vehicles. Certain industries also produce specific toxic pollutants, such as ethylene oxide from medical equipment sterilization facilities. Indoor air can also contain toxic pollutants from sources such as tobacco smoke, building materials, and consumer products.
