SWCAA NEWS ARCHIVE
EPA Releases National Air Toxics Assessment Data
Friday, April 1, 2011 - On March 11, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the fourth update of the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA). The update contains 2005 emissions data for 178 toxic pollutants.
The national assessment shows that EPA, the states and industry are continuing to make progress to reduce air toxic emissions. Between 1990 and 2005, air toxic emissions were reduced by about 42 percent from industrial and mobile sources.
The Southwest Clean Air Agency uses NATA as a tool to determine which air toxics are of greatest concern in different areas of southwest Washington. This information helps focus work on sources with emissions contributing the most to health risk.
A focus sheet updated with the most recent NATA data is available which explains what air toxics are, the health impacts, and an air toxics exposure/risk map of the state.
For more information on NATA and instructions on using the assessment tool, click here.