Air Quality Successes - Criteria Pollutants
Texas’ air quality has made huge strides in the past few decades. The state has devoted significant resources for air monitoring and research to advance the science and find innovative ways to improve air quality.
Our Nation's Air
by the US EPA
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- Ozone is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight.
- Ozone can cause breathing problems, especially for children, older adults, and those with asthma.
- Ozone concentrations in Texas have decreased by 29% over the past 21 years.
- Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) are small particles that are either emitted into the air from dust, fires, and industrial processes, or formed from other chemicals emitted from cars, trucks, and power plants.
- PM2.5 can cause heart or breathing problems, especially for children, older adults, and/or those with asthma or heart disease.
- Annual PM2.5 in Texas has decreased by 24% and 24-hour PM2.5 in Texas has decreased by 15% over the last 19 years.
- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a gas that is emitted into the air from cars, trucks, power plants, and off-road machinery.
- NO2 can cause breathing problems, especially for children, older adults, and those with asthma.
- NO2 in Texas has decreased by 35% (one-hour NO2) and 33% (annual NO2) over the last 21 years.
- Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) is a gas that is emitted into the air from power plants and other sources than burn fuels that contain sulfur.
- SO2 can cause breathing problems, especially for children, older adults, and those with asthma.
- Several new source orientated SO2 monitors were installed in 2016 and 2017, causing the increase in the statewide one-hour SO2 design value.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a gas that is emitted into the air from cars, trucks, and other combustion processes.
- CO reduces the amount of oxygen delivered into your body and can cause death at high levels.
- CO in Texas has decreased by 78% (one-hour CO) and 70% (eight-hour CO) over the last 21 years.
- Lead (Pb) pollution is emitted directly from industrial sources or lead-containing fuels.
- Lead exposure can lead to neurological effects in children, cardiovascular effects in adults, and other health effects.
- The lead design value for the Frisco Eubanks monitor, the monitor located closest to the former Excide Frisco Recycling Center, has decreased 99% from the year of the center’s closing (2012) through 2020.