903R90011
EPA REGION III
AIR QUALITY
TRENDS REPORT

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            United States    Region III
            Environmental Protection Philadelphia, PA 19107
            Agency
                          1990
&EPA
EPA Region III
Air Quality
Trends Report

1990

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                             TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction	i
Ozone exceedances in several cities 88 vs 89	r
Ozone levels rural vs urban areas 1989	2
Exceedances of the ozone standard in Region III states 1983-1989	3
Ozone exceedances in Region III by month	4
CO exceedances in Region III by month	5
1989 actual vs estimated CO levels	6
Total exceedances of 8 hour CO standard 1981-89	7
Where -pollutants come from	8
Comparison of lead levels 1977 vs 1989	9
Comparison of TSP levels 1970 vs 1989	10
Impact of industrial sources on S02 levels in Region III	11
Nitrogen dioxide levels in Region III 1978-1989.	12
Explanation of line graphs with bars	13
Ozone line graphs	14
CO line graphs	16
S02 line graphs	18
PM-10 line graphs	20

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                           INTRODUCTION

     This report is a followup to the 1989 Trends report but has
a different theme. On the twentieth anniversary of Earth Day and
EPA this report also includes some historical data showing how
the air quality in Region III has changed. EPA's Region III  .
includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. This report
focuses on the six criteria pollutants that EPA has established
standards for. These are listed below:

PM-lO(Particulate matter less than 10 microns in size) - General
term for solid or liquid particles found in the atmosphere. EPA
formerly measured all airborne particulate but now only regulates
particulate less than 10 microns. These pose a risk to health
because they are small enough to penetrate the most sensitive
regions of the respiratory tract.

SULFUR DIOXIDE(S02)  - Formed from the burning of sulfur
containing fuels, mainly coal and oil. SOZ is also associated
with many types of respiratory diseases. It is a precursor of
acid rain. The main sources of airborne S02  are electric power
plants that burn sulfur containing coal or oil and oil
refineries.

CARBON MONOXIDE(CO) -  A colorless, odorless poisonous gas formed
when carbon fuels(such as gasoline) are not burned completely.
The majority of CO in the atmosphere comes from cars. Even at low
levels CO can affect mental functioning, vision and alertness.
Smokers, people living at high altitudes and people suffering
from lung diseases are more susceptible to the effects of CO.

OZONE(03)  - Formed in the atmosphere by the reaction of
hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide(N02)  in the presence of
sunlight. Ozone is a major problem in the summertime, especially
around cities. Most of the ozone  in the air comes from automobile
emissions, but other sources such as coating plants,  dry cleaners
and gas stations also contribute to the problem. Ozone irritates
the eyes, nose and throat. It directly affects  lung functions and
can cause respiratory disease.

LEAD - EPA's major succesis story  in air pollution control. This
air pollutant, which has severe effects on the  kidneys, nervous
system and blood-forming organs,  came almost totally  from the
burning of leaded gasoline  in cars. Since  1970  EPA-mandated  use
of unleaded gasoline has resulted in a 99.5% decrease in the
amount of lead used  in gasoline.  As a result, atmospheric  lead
levels have decreased over  90%. The only  lead sources left in the
USA are a few  lead smelters and battery plants.  Lead  emissions at
most of these  facilities are tightly controlled.

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NITROGEN DIOXIDE (N02)- Formed when fuel  is  burned  at  high
temperatures. N02  in the atmosphere comes mainly from automobile
emissions and electric utility and industrial boilers. N02 can
also cause respiratory problems and combines with hydrocarbons to
form ozone. NO, levels in Region III and throughout most of the
country are well below EPA standards. The only recent violation
of the N02 standard occurred in Los Angeles,  California.


AIR TRENDS IN REGION III - 1989
PARTICULATE MATTER(PM-IO) - PM-10 levels have remained fairly
constant in Region III over the past six years. The only
violations of the PM-10 standards are from the industrial areas
of Allegheny County(Pittsburgh) Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

SULFUR DIOXIDE(S02)  - S02  levels have remained  fairly constant
over the past 6 years. Almost all of Region III is well under
EPA's standard. The only area with S02  levels near or above the
standard are industrial areas in Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

CARBON MONOXIDE(CO) - Average CO levels have decreased between 15
and 30 percent in Region III. This is due mainly to EPA's
tightening of CO emission levels from automobiles. The only
exceedances of the CO standard occur in cities. CO levels would
be much lower if the number of cars was not increasing twice as
fast as the population.

OZONE(03)  - Since ozone forms in the presence of sunlight and
warm temperatures it is difficult to pick up the ozone trend. It
appears to be declining until there is an unusually hot summer,
then there are several violations of the ozone standard. The
summers of 1983 and 1988 are good examples. Both were hot, sunny
and both had a high number of Ozone violation days.  EPA has
issued tighter standards on tailpipe and industrial emissions of
volatile organic compounds(VOC), which combine with N02 in the
presence of sunlight to form Ozone. The major( greater than 100
tons/year) sources of VOC are controlled in nonattainment areas
to meet Reasonably Available Control Technology(RACT)
requirements. The Clean Air Act Amendments of  1990 call for the
formation of the Northeast Ozone Transport Commission.

LEAD(Pb) - Lead levels are well below the EPA  standard throughout
Region III. Removing lead from gasoline reduced ambient lead to
negligible levels.

NITROGEN DIOXIDE(N02)  - NO2  levels have remained consistently
well below the EPA standard in Region III.
                                ii

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       DEFINITIONS

       Ambient Air - The air that we breathe. The surrounding  air which
       is within  5 to  10 meters of the  earth's surface.

       NAAQS - National Ambient Air Quality  Standard. These  are
       standards  set by EPA for the six criteria pollutants  which should
       not be exceeded. Exceedances of  these levels  could have adverse
       affects on the  health and welfare of  the people.

       Criteria Pollutants - The six pollutants for  which EPA  has set
       standards(NAAQS's) for. They are carbon monoxide(CO), lead(Pb),
       nitrogen dioxide(N02),  ozone(03), particulate  matter  less  than 10
       microns(PM-10)  and sulfur dioxide(S02).

       ug/m3 - Micrograms per cubic meter.

       ppm - Parts per million.

                  NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS(NAAQS)
POLLUTANT

PM-10


Sulfur
Dioxide (S02)


Carbon
Monoxide(CO)

Ozone (03)
Nitrogen
Dioxide (N02)

Lead(Pb)
REPORT CONTENTS
AVERAGING TIME

Annual Arith. Mean
Max  24-hr Average

Annual Arith. Mean
Maximum 24 hr Avg.
Maximum  3  hr Avg.

Maximum  8 hr Avg
Maximum  1 hr Avg

Maximum 1 hr Avg
PRIMARY STANDARD
(HEALTH RELATED)

     50 ug/m3
    150 ug/m

     80 ug/m3
    365 ug/m3
    10 xng/irr(  9  ppm)
    40 ag/m (35  ppm)
SECONDARY STANDARD
(WELFARE RELATED)

      same
      same
     1300 ug/m3

     none
     none
 Annual  Arith.  Mean
 Maximum Arith.  Mean
 averaged over a calendar
 quarter
    0.125  ppm(not to be exceeded more
    than 3 times in 3 consecutive years
    in an Air Quality Control Region)

    100 ug/m3(0.05 ppm)     same
    1.5 ug/m               same
     Following this page are a number of graphs showing the recent trends  in
the six criteria pollutants( PM-10, Ozone, Lead, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur
Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide) in Region III. Each graph contains some
background and an explanation of what the graph is trying to show.
                                       111

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                                 FIGURE 8
     WHERE POLLUTANTS COME PROM
      Components of the six criteria pollutants
VOC( OZONE PRECURSOR)
                         TSP
                                                            T=A\S=0=TAT 3\

                                                            =JS. COV3JST 0\
CARBON MONOXIDE
    NITROGEN DIOXIDE
                        LEAD
  SULFUR DIOXIDE
POLLUTANT
    Participate Matter
    smaller than 10 microns
      (PM-10)
                        iHCUStry
                                    MAJOR SOURCES

                                        a»Daaa»aaoD
    Sulfur Dioxide(S02)
                                 Pants ourning High Su fur O orCoa
    Carbon Monoxide(CO)
                                                           A
                                                        xi i i i i ir\
                                       Fue Burning Trans oortat on
    Ozone (03)
                                                       =1  i

                                                               3
                         Coating P ants
                                          Fue Burning Transoortation
    Lead(Pb)
                                                       «I
                                         Z\
                                   Fue Burning Transoortation   Battery P ants anc Sme ters
    Nitrogen Dioxide(N02)
                                                           ./I ,1 III IL-A
                                DO  " •    •
                                       Fue Burning Transoortation

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    EXPLANATION OF LINE GRAPHS WITH BARS
  The next several pages have graphs like the the one below. On these graphs each point on the line represents the average
  pollutant level of all the sites. The upper bar show the pollutant concentration at the high site in the state. The lower bar
  shows the pollutant concentration at the low site in the state. The dotted line represents the National Ambient Air Quality
  Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant. No nitrogen dioxide or lead graphs are included because their ambient levels are
  well below the standard and show no definite trend.
    Concentration PPM
15
12
                                                              7 sites
                                   HIGH
                                        AVERAGE OF
                                        ALL 7 SITES
                                                                      EPA STANDARD
                                                                          LINE
                                   LOW SITE
        1984
1885
1986
1987
1988
1989
                                        13

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                    OZONE FOR DEL, DC, MD AND PA
0.25
 0.2
0.15
 0.1
0.05
     Concentration PPM    DELAWARE
                                5 sites
                                              0.25
                                               0.2
                                              0.15
 0.1
0.05
    Concentration PPM  MARYLAND
     1984   1985    1986    198?    1988    1989
    Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
    second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
                                                                             14 sites
    1984    1985   1986    1987    1988   1989
   Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
   second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
0.25
 0.2
0.15
 0.1
005
     Concentration PPM WASHINGTON, DC
                                2 sites
                                              0.25
                                               0.2
                                              0.15
                                               0.1
                                              0.05
                    PENNSYLVANIA
    Concentration PPM  (excluding Phila & Pittsburgh)
                                                                             27 sites
     1984   1985    1986    1987    1988    1989
    Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
    second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
     1984   1985    1986    1987   1988    1989
   Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
   second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
                                             14

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        OZONE FOR PHILA, ALLEGHENY CO., VA * WVA
  Concentration PPM  ALLEGHENY COUNTY
0.25
 0.2
0.15
 0.1
0.05
                                4 sites
                                           0.25
                                            0.2
                                           0.15
        0.1
        0.05
                                             Concentration PPM
                              VIRGINIA
                                        18 sites
0.25
 0.2
0.15
 0.1
0.05
    1984    1985    1986   1987   1988   1989

   Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
   second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.


   Concentration PPM   PHILADELPHIA
                                               1984
                  1985    1986    1987    1988
                                 1989
                                3 sites
                                           0.25
           Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
           second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
          Concentration PPM     WEST VIRGINIA
                                           0.16 -
                                           0.05 -
    1984   1985    1986   1987   1988
1989
   Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
   second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
1984    1985    1986   1987    1988    1989

Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
second daily maximum 1-hour ozone concentration.
                                          15

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             CARBON MONOXIDE FOR DE, DC, MD & PA
   Concentration PPM  DELAWARE
15
                                    NAAQS
                                               15
                                               12
 Concentration PPM   MARYLAND
                                                   1884    1885     1686    1887    1888   1888
     1884     1885     1868     1887     1888    1888

 Trend in the composite mean and range for the Mcond highest   Trend in the composite mean and range for the stcond highest
 nonoverlapplng 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration,   nonoverlapping 6-hour average carbon monoxide concentration.
                   WASHINGTON, DC
   Concentration PPM  (1988 data invalid)
16
12
                                    NAAQS
     1884     1885     1888     1887     1888    1889
                                              16
                                              12
                PENNSYLVANIA
Concentration PPM  (excluding Phila & Pittsburgh)
                          NAAQS
                                                  1684    1865    1866    1887     1868    1666
 Trend In the composite mean and range for the second highest   _   .. ..        „        .     ...      ... .   .
                           M             *      Trend In the composite mean and range for the second highest
 nonoverlapplng 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration,  nonoverlapping 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration.
                                          16

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CARBON MONOXIDE FOR ALLEGHENY CO, PHILA, VA * WV
   Concentration PPM ALLEGHENY COUNTY          Concentration PPM    VIRGINIA
                                              16
                               4 sites
                                 NAAQS
                                              12
                             12 sites
                              NAAQS
    IBM    1086    1086    1087    1068    1080
 1084    1085    1088    1087    1088   1080
 Trend in the composite mean and range for the second highest    Tr«n«l in *• composite mean and range tor the second highest
 nonoverlapping 8-nour average carbon monoxide concentration.   nonoverlapping 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration.
16
12
   Concentration PPM     PHILADELPHIA
                                6 sites
                                NAAQS
                                              16
                                              12
Concentration PPM   WEST VIRGINIA
                             3 sites
                                                                              NAAQS
    1084    1085    1088    1087    1088   1080          '"M    1»85    1088   1087    1088   1089
 Trend in the composite mean and range for the second highest    Trend in the composite mean and range for the second highest
 nonoverlapping 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration,   nonoverlapping 8-hour average carbon monoxide concentration.
                                           17

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                  SULFUR DIOXIDE FOR DE, DC, MD * PA
ug/m3
100


 90


 80


 70


 60


 50


 40


 30


 20


 10
    1084
    DELAWARE
                       PPM
                       8 sites
NAAQS
                              0.03
                              0.02
                              0.01
1985
1988
198?
1988
1989
 Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
 arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
                         ug/m3
                                100


                                90


                                80


                                70


                                60


                                50


                                40


                                30


                                20


                                10
                                                    1984
                                                                  MARYLAND
                                                          PPM
                                                         6 sites
                                              NAAQS
                                                            1
                                                                              0.03
                                                                 0.02
                                                          0.01
                                                1985
                                                1986
                                                1987
                                                1988
                                                                                    1989
                                        Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
                                        arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
    1984
                                                            PENNSYLVANIA
-*""" WASHINGTON, DC rrm ug/na (excluding Phila & Pittsburgh)
lUw
90
80
70
60
50

40
30

20
10
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'm 2 sites

NAAQS
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40
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20
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25 sites

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                                                                                         PPM
                                                                                         0.03
                                                                                        0.02
                                                                                         001
1985
1986
1987
 1988
 1989
1984
1085
1986
1987
1988
                                                                           1989
 Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
 arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
                                         Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
                                         arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
                                            18

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SULFUR DIOXIDE FOR PHILA, ALLEGHENY CO, VA 4 WVA
            ALLEGHENY COUNTY
100

 90 f

 80 M

 70

 60

 90

 40

 30

 20

 10 h
    7 sites
NAAQS
               0.03
               0.02
               0.01
     1964    19B5    IBM   1967    1B68    i8t
   Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
   arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
              PHILADELPHIA
 100

  90

  80

  70

  60

  50

  40

  30

  20

  10
     7 sites
  NAAQS
                0.03
               0.02
               0.01
     1984   1985   1986    1987    1968    1989
    Trend In the composite mean and range for the annual
    arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
ug/
90
80
70
80
50
40
30
20
10
713 VIRGINIA
1 1 sites
NAAQS
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PPM
0.03

0.02


0.01
1984 1885 1886 1887 1988 1989
Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
tg
106
100
M
80
70
60
SO
40
30
20
10
n
w3 WEST VIRGINIA
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0.02


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                         1984   1985   1986   1987   1986   1989
                        Trend in the composite mean and range for the annual
                        arithmetic average sulfur dioxide concentration.
                                        19

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                      PNMO FOR MD, DE, VA & WV
PM-10 has replaced TSP as an EPA criteria pollutant. This is the airborne particuaite matter less than 10 microns. Participate
this small pose a threat to health because they are small enough to enter the most sensitive regions of the respiratory tract
  Concentration ug/m3     MARYLAND
VIRGINIA
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1
I
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
4 sites
NAAQS
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1885 1886 1887 1886 1888
'rend in the composite mean and range for the max
>4-hour PM-10 concentration.
Concentration ug/m3
DELAWARE
3 sites
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180
180
140
120
100
80
80
40
20
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250
228
200
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150
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100
76
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13 sites
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1885 1986 1887 1888 1988
end in the composite mean and range for the maximum
l-hour PM-10 concentration.
Concentration ug/m3 WEST VI RG I N I A
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   1985      1986     1987     1988      1989
  Trend in the composite mean and range for the maximum    Trencj jn tne composite mean and range for the maximum
  24-hour PM-10 concentration.                          24-hour PM-10 concentration.
                                            20

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          PM-10 FOR PH1LA, ALLEGHENY CO, * PA

 PM-10 has replaced TSP as an EPA criteria pollutant. This Is the airborne partlcualte matter less than 10 microns. Paniculate
this small pose a threat to health because they are small enough to enter the most sensitive regions of the respiratory tract.
250


225


200


175


150


125


100


 75


 50


 25


  0
    Concentration ug/m3    PHILADELPHIA
4 sites
   1885
  1888
1867
1MB
1888
                                         Concentration tQ/m3   ALLEGHENY COUNTY
   Trend in the composite mean and range for the maximum
   24-hour PM-10 concentration,
                                                   1965
25U
229
200
17S
150
125
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75
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                                                  IBM
                                                                     1967
                                                                    19SS
                                                                                       1989
                                        Trend In the composite mean and range for the maximum
                                         24-hour PM-10 concentration,
                280


                22B


                200


                175


                150


                125


                100


                 75


                 60


                 25


                  0
                    Concentration ug/rn3
                                    PENNSYLVANIA
                                    (excluding Phila & Pittsburgh)
                                            11 sites
                                                          NAAQS
                     1965
                       11)66           1967           1968          1969
                 Trend in the composite mean and range for the maximum
                 24-hour PM-10 concentration.
                                           21

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