The air we breathe can become contaminated with pollutants from a variety of natural and manmade sources. Toxic air pollutants are those pollutants that, at sufficient concentrations and exposure, are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as birth defects, or to cause adverse environmental impacts. In general, the toxic air pollutants that are of greatest concern are those released to the air in large enough amounts to create a risk to human health, and have the potential to reach many people.
The list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) regulated by EPA is published in Section 112 of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. In addition, DES regulates the emissions of regulated toxic air pollutants (RTAPs), which have a health-based risk to humans and are likely to be used by business and industry in the state. The list of RTAPs, published in NH Administrative Rule Env-A 1400, includes those compounds listed as HAPs by EPA and described above; those chemical substances for which a threshold limit value (TLV) has been established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH); and those compounds not otherwise included that are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Toxic air pollutants may exist as particulate matter or as vapors (gaseous). Examples of gaseous toxic air pollutants include benzene, toluene and xylene, which are found in paints and coatings; perchloroethylene, which is used in the dry cleaning industry; and methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent by a number of industries. Examples of air toxics typically associated with particulate matter include heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, chromium, and lead compounds.
DES has prepared a set of spreadsheets that business can use to help determine if they are in compliance with the Air Toxics Rule.
- Compliance determination flow chart
- Env-A 1400
- List of Contacts
- New Hampshire's Air Toxics Control Program (Fact Sheet ARD-1)
- SBTAP – technical assistance
Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Download a free reader from Adobe.