Environmental Public Health Division
Air Quality
Environmental Public Health’s Outdoor Air
Program encompasses several activities such as complaint
response and investigations, monitoring activities, emissions
events investigations, programmatic inspections such as Stage II
Vapor recovery and permit reviews.
Complaint Response and InvestigationsResponding to complaints and conducting
investigations is one of EPH’s highest priorities. EPH has
historically relied on citizen complaints and enforcement of the
Nuisance Rule and Outdoor Burning Rule to address air pollution
in Harris County. For more information, view or
Field
Services Page
Monitoring ActivitiesHarris County is home to one of the largest
petrochemical complexes in the world. Harris County also boasts
one of the most comprehensive air monitoring networks in the
country. EPH maintains the Harris County Public Health Ozone
Monitoring Network that is made up of 12 of the areas 48 Ozone
monitors. The EPH maintained monitors were installed in
locations to help fill some gaps and to assist individuals in
making health decisions such as how active to be outdoors at
different levels of ozone. Individuals are encouraged to sign
up for ozone email alerts. For more information, view our
Ozone Page
EPH also
conducts monitoring as part of the Fence Line and Neighborhood
Ambient Air Chemical Sampling Program. This program focuses on
collecting and analyzing ambient air samples from selected
petrochemical facilities, ancillary support and storage
facilities property lines and in neighborhoods that are nearby
to petrochemical facilities and ancillary operations.
Emissions EventsAn Emissions Event is an upset event or
unscheduled maintenance, startup, or shutdown activity that
results in unauthorized emissions of air contaminants from one
or more emissions points at a facility. These unscheduled
releases may include smoking flares, releases from storage
vessels or process areas and fires. These unscheduled releases
often involve large quantities of air contaminants and may
impact nearby communities. EPH has assigned staff to
specifically investigate certain emissions events and work with
the facilities with the overall goal of reducing emissions
events. For more information view our
Emergency Response
Services Page
Programmatic
Inspections
EPH also conducts inspections that focus
specifically on certain types of facilities that have the
potential to impact nearby communities. Harris County is a "non
attainment area" because ground level ozone levels have exceeded
federal limits. Because gasoline vapors contribute to the
formation of ozone, gas stations in Harris County must have
Stage II vapor recovery systems installed at the pumps and
must have at least one worker trained by a TCEQ approved
training provider to operate and maintain a Stage II vapor
recovery system. The Stage II Vapor Recovery systems are
designed to capture 95% of the gasoline vapors that are usually
lost when an individual fills up their automobile at the gas
station.
Permit ReviewThe Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality is responsible for issuing air permits regulating major
and minor facilities based on emissions. Permits are for major
and minor stationary sources of air pollutants that specify
emission limits and requirements for construction and operation.
Permit conditions also specify the emission testing and
monitoring requirements applicable to each source. These
requirements are the primary means for demonstrating compliance
with the emission limits. For more information, view our
Permits and Technical Services Page
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a complaint or report a
pollution violation?
If you live in the unincorporated area of
Harris County or inside the city limits of any city except
Houston, you can call us at (713) 920-2831, 24 hours per day.
If you live inside the Houston City limits,
call (713) 640-4200 for air pollution complaints or (713)
640-4399 for water pollution complaints.
If you live outside Harris County, call the
TCEQ at (713)
767-3500.
Your name will be kept confidential.
Can I burn my trash and leaves?
If you
live in the unincorporated areas of Harris County you can burn
trash and leaves produced at your residence if you do not have
regular garbage service provided by a government agency. You
should check your deed restrictions also. You cannot burn any
material generated by a business. If you live inside the Houston
City Limits contact the Bureau of Air Quality Control at
640-4200 for information on burning. If you live inside the city
limits of any other city, call your city health department or
fire marshal.
You
may not cause a nuisance to your neighbors under any
circumstances.
Does
Harris County issue any air permits?
Harris County does not issue any air permits. The state agency
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the
permitting authority. Environmental Public Health coordinates
with both the TCEQ Region 12 Office located in Houston (713)
767-3500 and the Central Office located in Austin (512) 239-1000
concerning activities that require and issuance of air permits.
Ozone, what is it, what causes it?
The EPA has
designated Harris County as being in moderate nonattainment of
its 8-hour ozone standard. Harris County participates with other
state and local agencies in maintaining a monitoring network to
provide the public with current ozone data and advisories.
Ozone (O3) is a compound
containing three oxygen atoms. Molecules of normal oxygen (O2)
are composed of two oxygen atoms. Ozone can be found in the
upper atmosphere and at ground level. It occurs naturally in the
upper atmosphere where it blocks harmful UV radiation. It forms
at ground level when pollutants react to form photochemical
smog. Ozone is highly reactive and at high concentrations it may
corrode metals, degrade plastics, and cause respiratory
irritation. For more information, view our
Ozone Page
Particulate matter, What is it? What
causes it?
Particulate matter is the term for
particles found in the air including dust, dirt, smoke, soot and
liquid droplets. Particles can be suspended in the air for long
periods of time. Some particles are large or dark enough to be
seen as dust or smoke. Others are so small that they can be
seen only with an electron microscope. Some particles are
directly emitted into the air. They come from a variety of
sources such as smoking vehicles, construction sites, tilled
fields, unpaved roads, stone crushing, and open burning. Other
particles are formed in the air from chemical reactions of gases
in the presence of sunlight and water vapor. They result from
emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds-gases emitted by
cars, power plants, industrial plants, gasoline dispensing
facilities, painting operations, and natural sources. For more
information
follow this link
Air toxics
or hazardous air pollutants, what are they?
The Federal Clean Air Act regulates 187 chemicals that are known
or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects,
such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse
environmental effects.
Listed hazardous air pollutants include
benzene, which is widely used in the United States; it ranks in
the top 20 chemicals for production volume. Some industries use
benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics,
resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to
make some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs,
and pesticides. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil,
gasoline, and cigarette smoke. For more information
follow
this link
1,3-Butadiene is a chemical made from the processing of
petroleum. Most of the 1,3-Butadiene manufactured is used in the
production of synthetic rubber. It is also used in the
production of plastics and acrylics. These synthetic materials
are used to manufacture automotive tires and tire products,
automotive hoses, belts, seals, and gaskets. It is also used as
a chemical intermediate in the production of some fungicides,
and in the manufacture of latex adhesives, nylon carpet backing,
paper coatings, pipes, conduits, electrical components and
luggage. Small levels of 1,3-Butadiene are found in gasoline.
For more information
follow this link
Dioxin, asbestos, toluene, and metals such
as cadmium, mercury and chromium compounds are also air toxics.
For more information on HCPHES’ Environmental Toxins Control
Program, including Air Toxics, please view our
Environmental
Toxins Control Program Web Page.
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