Is Human by Stuart Lieberman Air pollution problems are not new, nor are they new to this column. The traditional method of addressing air pollution has been through the control of pollutants that have been released into the atmosphere.
Many people think that it is illegal to release pollutants into the environment.
But, actually this is not true at all. So long as companies release pollutants at levels that are specified in their permits, there is nothing at all wrong or illegal with what they are doing. It's perfectly allowable. In the past decade, a new approach to air pollution control has emerged both at the federal and state levels, as well as internationally. Essentially, companies that do an exceptional job at meeting their air pollution prevention goals are able to capitalize on their success by selling air pollution credits to less successful companies.