Toxic Air Pollutants

Some compounds produced by human activities like chemical manufacturing and paint spraying are classified as toxic air pollutants. Toxic compounds are important because they can have severe impacts on human health or on natural resources. Some can persist or accumulate in the environment. The largest releases of hazardous air pollutants in the southern Appalachians are in industrialized areas in urban corridors. Releases of toxic air pollutants have declined in the southern Appalachians between 1988 and 1992. Full implementation of Title III of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments is expected to decrease hazardous air pollutants in the future (SAMAB 1996).