South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

We promote and protect the health of the public and the environment.

• Air Pollutants & Monitoring
• Laws & Regulations
• Permitting, Compliance, & Reporting
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Air Pollutants and Monitoring

• Air Pollutants &
  Monitoring Home
• What are
  Air Pollutants?
• Spare the Air:
  Improving Air Quality
• Sources of
  Air Pollution
• Effects of
  Air Pollution

The Clean Air Act is a federal law that defines responsibilities of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for protecting and improving the nation's air quality. There are also laws and regulations specifically established for South Carolina. DHEC is the designated authority for monitoring and maintaining South Carolina's ambient airAmbient Air - This is the air that we breathe when we are outside of buildings and structures. It can also refer to background, environmental, or surrounding air when DHEC is monitoring for levels of air pollution.

Note: This does not refer to indoor air, air in the workplace, or contaminated air discharged from a source. . Both the Bureau of Air Quality and the Bureau of Environmental Services are involved in monitoring activites and the review of data.

Please use the links below for more information regarding what and how concentrations of pollutants in South Carolina are monitored and where our air pollution comes from.

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