Air Pollutants - Ozone - General Information
What is DHEC doing to keep my air safe?
DHEC is responsible for tracking the air quality in South Carolina. EPA establishes the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which are the nationwide standards EPA sets to protect public health and the environment.
Across South Carolina, DHEC is stepping forward to motivate citizens, schools, community groups, local governments, and businesses to help keep our air safe. The best ways to limit ozone are to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and to require limits from industries that emit precursors of ozone, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX). Examples of these efforts include:
- Permitting industrial processes
- Providing Air Permitting and Regulatory public notices
- Enforcing all regulatory requirements
- Inspecting facilities and investigating complaints
- Evaluating emissions data from stack tests conducted at facilities
- Monitoring statewide and local air quality
- Providing the ozone forecast
- Working with local, state, and federal partners
- Working with schools and educators
- Creating air quality related publications and resources
- Recognizing and awarding environmental leaders
- Holding conferences, public meetings and other local events
- May 21, 2012: EPA published designations for the 2008 ozone standard
- May 14, 2012: DHEC requests to participate in EPA's Ozone Advance Program (EPA Web page)
Sign up to receive ozone forecast information using
Enviroflash,
Twitter, or
to hear the forecast call 1-866-238-4973 after 4:00 pm daily!
For more information please contact the Bureau of Air Quality at (803) 898-4123 or by email.