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 Investigations
Responding 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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