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Volatile organic compounds
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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are naturally occurring and human-made compounds that appear as gases or vapors at room temperature. In context of energy and environmental policy, VOCs generally refer to compounds resulting from human activity, such as energy use.[1]
Background
Organic compounds are found in all living things and are composed chemicals that contain carbon. Volatile organic compounds consist of vapors or gases under room temperature. They contain carbon and may also contain hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, bromine, chlorine, sulfur, or nitrogen. Volatile organic chemicals can be naturally occurring and human-made. They can be released from burning coal, gasoline, natural gas, or wood. VOCs are also emitted from solvents, glues, paints, aerosol sprays, and other consumer products, though generally at lower levels than emitted from energy use and industrial processes. When VOCs react with nitrogen oxides in sunlight, ground-level ozone (smog) is formed.[2][3]
The health risk associated with inhaling VOCs depends on the amount of VOCs in a particular area and how long and how often an individual may be exposed to them. Inhalation of low levels of VOCs for a long period of time may cause health problems in some individuals, such as people with asthma or people who are more sensitive to certain chemicals. Short-term exposure to VOCs (hours or days) may cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, or dizziness in some individuals.[4]
Regulation
The Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state governments to regulate hazardous air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), from large industrial facilities. States must adopt state implementation plan outlining how they will achieve emissions reductions for regulated pollutants like VOCs. Each plan requires owners or operators of sources of VOCs to submit a statement outlining the amount of VOCs emitted by a facility or source. States may waive this requirement for sources that emit less than 25 tons of VOCs per year.[5]
VOC standards are developed by the EPA to limit emissions from various sources. The EPA sets technology-based requirements for these sources; facilities must install the maximum achievable emission control technology for sources that emit higher levels of VOCs. These technology-based standards also take into account the emissions that are already being controlled at low-emitting sources. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to review its standards within 8 years of setting them. After this period, the EPA must assess whether the technology standards adequately addressed the potential adverse health and environmental effects of VOC emissions. The agency may implement further regulations if it determines that the previous standards were inadequate.[6]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Glossary,” accessed January 24, 2014
- ↑ National Institutes of Health, "Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs," accessed March 3, 2017
- ↑ U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)," accessed March 26, 2015
- ↑ The American Water Works Association, "Volatile Organic Compounds," accessed March 3, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, "The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990," accessed March 3, 2017
- ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "Reducing Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants," accessed March 3, 2017
