About Air Pollution in Texas
General information on air-pollution issues in Texas.
- What is air pollution?
- What pollutes the air in Texas?
- How serious is air pollution in Texas?
- Why should you care about the air?
- What can you do about air pollution?
What is air pollution?
Air is primarily oxygen, nitrogen, and small amounts of other gases. Air pollution develops when human activity and natural sources affect this gaseous mix. Three main sources pollute these gases:
- Sources that don’t move: these include factories, refineries, and power plants. These are called point sources because they can be traced to a single point or location.
- Sources that do move: these include cars, construction equipment, lawn mowers, all terrain vehicles, and boats. These are called mobile or nonpoint sources because the cannot be traced to a single point or location.
- Sources that grow naturally: these include trees and grass and flowers. They are called biogenic sources.
What pollutes the air in Texas?
In Texas, the pollutants we are most concerned about are nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ground-level ozone (formed when NOx and VOCs react on hot, sunny days).
NOx is usually a by-product of high-temperature combustion. Common sources are cars and power plants. VOCs include organic chemicals that vaporize easily, such as gasoline.
In addition to NOx, VOCs, and ground-level ozone, air contains particulate matter—tiny bits of dust, ash, and other materials. When you see a dust cloud, you are actually seeing particulate matter. Much of it is so small that you can't see it, but you can see its effect. A red sunrise or sunset is caused by the matter in the air bending the sunlight toward the red end of the light spectrum. It’s beautiful, but it also indicates that the air is not really clean.
How serious is air pollution in Texas?
Many areas in Texas are facing the challenge of improving their air quality. Some places are coming under increasing regulation because of the increased air pollution. These areas are called nonattainment areas. Areas that are close to coming under increased regulation are called near nonattainment areas.
Read more about Nonattainment and Near Nonattainment Areas in Texas.
Why should you care about the air?
If you live in a nonattainment or near nonattainment area, it is very important that you reduce your contribution to air pollution.
High concentrations of ground-level ozone can cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, headaches, nausea, and throat and lung irritation. People who suffer from lung diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, asthma, and colds have even more trouble breathing when the air is polluted. These effects can be worse for anyone who spends a lot of time exercising or working outdoors. When you exercise heavily, you may increase your intake of air by as much at 10 times your level at rest.
Children are at increased risk for developing respiratory problems caused by ozone. Their lungs are still developing, and they breathe more rapidly and inhale more air pollution per pound of body weight than adults.
Read more about the health hazards of ozone.
What can you do about air pollution?
Cars are a significant source of air pollution. Thinking about where, when, why, and how you are driving can help you change your driving habits.
Learn more from Drive Clean Across Texas. 
Changing your driving habits is part of the solution, but not the whole solution. Other things we do cause air pollution. Doing yard work with gasoline-powered mowers, edgers, and leaf blowers contributes significantly to air pollution. Engines in boats and all-terrain vehicles do not have the pollution-control features that car engines do.
Reduce pollution from small (non-automotive) gasoline engines.
Conserving power can be an important part of preventing air pollution. In Texas, much of our electricity comes from power plants that burn coal or oil for fuel. These types of fuel contribute to air pollution. The more electricity we use to run our homes and businesses, the more fuel is burned, and the more air pollution we create.
Read more about conserving energy.
