Pollutants come from many different sources and enter the air, water and land in a variety of ways. EPA's role is to protect plants, animals, humans, wildlife, aquatic life, and the environment from the negative effects pollutants and toxic substances can have on their health. Under a broad range of federal statutes, EPA gathers health/safety and exposure data, requires the necessary testing, and controls human and environmental exposures for numerous chemical substances and mixtures. Under these laws, EPA regulates the production and distribution of commercial and industrial chemicals in order to ensure that chemicals made available for sale and use in the United States do not harm human health or the environment. Along with the regulation of these substances, the Agency has created databases and documents that further the knowledge of the American people about the effects and prevalence of such substances.

Recommended EPA Web pages

Air Pollutants
Aerosols, Asbestos, Carbon Monoxide, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Criteria Air Pollutants, Ground Level Ozone, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), Lead, Mercury, Methane, Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Propellants, Radon, Refrigerants, Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Water Pollutants
Arsenic, Contaminated Sediment, Disinfection Byproducts, Dredged Material, Lead, Microbial Pathogens

Biological Contaminants

Carcinogens

Toxic Substances
Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Pollutants (PBTs), Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Toxicological Profiles