Report Air Polluters: Know Your Rights And Responsibilities

Air pollution is a serious issue that can have detrimental effects on human health and the environment. It is important to know how to report air polluters in order to protect public health and ensure a sustainable future. There are several ways to report air pollution, depending on the specific circumstances and location. For example, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a platform for reporting environmental violations, while local agencies such as the Air District also offer avenues for reporting air quality complaints. It is recommended to provide detailed information when reporting to facilitate investigations and identify the sources of emissions. This article will provide an overview of the different channels available for reporting air polluters and the relevant information that should be included in these reports.

Reporting air pollution complaints

If you are witnessing an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, call 911, and then report it to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 or 202-267-2675. The National Response Center also accepts waste reports regarding agricultural operations and pollution discharge from railroads, airports, and maritime shipping hubs. You can also report violations of environmental laws and regulations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations.

In the state of Pennsylvania, you can report environmental incidents and hazards to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at 866-255-5158. You can also visit http://www.depgreenport.state.pa.us/EnvironmentalComplaintForm/ to make an environmental complaint to DEP online. If you are in Philadelphia, you can visit cleanair.org/complaints for more information. To report a public health emergency in Allegheny County, please call 412-687-2243 or use the Allegheny County Health Department’s online air quality complaint form.

The Air District also responds to and investigates all air quality complaints. You can report air quality complaints online or by calling their 24-hour toll-free complaint line. The Air District will keep the complainant's personal information confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law. You can also choose to report complaints anonymously. When reporting an air quality complaint, provide as much information as possible, including detailed descriptions, to help the Air District inspector locate the source of emissions and identify compliance concerns or violations of air quality regulations. You can report complaints about odors, smoke, dust, chemical pollutants, wood smoke, exhaust, or smoking vehicles from refineries, gas stations, asbestos, idling trucks, locomotives and buses, open burning, and other combustion sources.

Online and phone reporting

If you are in the United States, you can report air pollution online or over the phone. The Air District responds to and investigates all air pollution complaints and keeps the complainant's personal information confidential. Members of the public may also choose to report complaints anonymously.

Online Reporting

You can report an air quality complaint online by visiting the Air District's Air Quality Complaint Program web page. Here are some tips for reporting an air quality complaint:

• Provide as much information as possible, including detailed descriptions of the complaint. This can help the Air District inspector locate the source of emissions and identify any compliance concerns or violations of air quality regulations.
• Complete an Emissions Log to document your observations, as it may be shared with the inspector to help with the investigation.
• If you believe that you or others were denied full and equal access to an Air District program or activity because of a protected status, such as race, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability, you can refer to the Air District's Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedure.

Phone Reporting

You can also report an air quality complaint by calling the Air District's 24-hour toll-free complaint line. Language interpretation services are available in over 150 languages for complainants whose primary language is not English. Here are some specific phone numbers that you can call to report environmental incidents and hazards:

• For environmental incidents and hazards in Pennsylvania, contact the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at 866-255-5158.
• For emergencies, such as oil spills, call the DEP at 1-800-541-2050.
• If you are reporting an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, call 911, and then report it to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.
• To report pollution from interstate commerce, such as railroads, airports, and maritime shipping hubs, contact the National Response Center.

Environmental law violations

If you are in the United States and you witness a chemical or oil spill, or any other pollution discharge into the environment, you can report this to the National Response Center. You can call them on 1-800-424-8802 or 202-267-2675, and they also accept waste reports regarding agricultural operations. You can also report environmental violations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations. The EPA also has a Report an Environmental Violation website and a phone line for tips.

If you are in Philadelphia, you can report environmental hazards at cleanair.org/complaints, and if you are in Allegheny County, you can report a public health emergency by calling 412-687-2243 or by using the Allegheny County Health Department's online air quality complaint form. You can also report air quality complaints to the Air District, which will keep the complainant's personal information confidential. You can report online or call their 24-hour toll-free complaint line.

If the environmental violation involves a matter of state law, you may wish to contact your state attorney general's office. If the violation concerns animal welfare crimes, you can contact your local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General’s Hotline on 1-800-424-9121. If the violation concerns workplace conditions, such as exposure to chemicals or noxious fumes, you can contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on 1-800-321-6742. If the violation concerns transportation or pipelines, contact the Department of Transportation — Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) on 1-800-424-9071. If the violation concerns discriminatory environmental and health impacts caused by recipients of federal funds, contact your local United States Attorney’s Office, DOJ Office of Environmental Justice, or DOJ Civil Rights on 1-888-848-5306. If the violation involves public corruption, contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Environmental emergencies

If you are experiencing an environmental emergency or witnessing an environmental event that poses an imminent threat to human health or the environment, contact the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 or 202-267-2675. You can also call 911. The National Response Center also accepts waste reports regarding agricultural operations and pollution discharge from interstate commerce, such as railroads, airports, and maritime shipping hubs.

In addition to contacting the National Response Center, it is important to engage your local and state agencies. For instance, both Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties have their own air quality agencies. To report a variety of environmental hazards in Philadelphia, visit cleanair.org/complaints for more information. To report a public health emergency in Allegheny County, call 412-687-2243 or use the Allegheny County Health Department's online air quality complaint form. Note that you must create an online account to use this form.

The Air District is another resource that responds to and investigates all air pollution complaints. The Air District will keep the complainant's personal information confidential and also allows members of the public to report complaints anonymously. When reporting an air quality complaint, provide as much information as possible, including detailed descriptions, to help the Air District inspector locate the source of emissions and identify compliance concerns or violations of air quality regulations. You can report an air quality complaint online or call the 24-hour toll-free complaint line.

You can also report violations of environmental laws and regulations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) using their online form. The EPA's mission is to improve the environment and protect human health by ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations, preventing pollution, and promoting environmental stewardship. The EPA's website provides information on contacting the appropriate EPA regional office for your state.

Discrimination complaints

If you wish to report air polluters, you can do so online or by phone. When reporting an air quality complaint, provide as many details as possible, including a completed Emissions Log, which may be shared with the inspector to aid their investigation.

In the case of discrimination complaints, the Air District staff will notify their manager, who will refer the complaint to the Air District Non-Discrimination Coordinator. For more information on how to file a discrimination complaint, visit the Air District's Non-Discrimination Policy and Complaint Procedure page.

If your discrimination complaint is related to a disability, you can file an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint. The nature of your complaint determines where you should file it. You can file a complaint by submitting a report on the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division website or by filling out and sending the ADA Complaint Form or a letter containing the same information to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

If your complaint is related to housing discrimination, you can report it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). You can report housing discrimination in any language, and HUD provides interpreters for persons with limited English proficiency. You can also print out the form and mail it to your regional FHEO office.

Additionally, if you believe that you have experienced discrimination or retaliation in renting or buying a home, getting a mortgage, seeking housing assistance, or engaging in other housing-related activities, you can include this in your complaint.

Frequently asked questions