Once a source's potential to emit has been determined it can be used to determine the level of permitting required, and the permitting process can move forward. IDEM staff perform the potential to emit calculations for all air registration or permit applications. The same pollutant may be regulated under more than one of these three regulatory standards. The Criteria Pollutants are those for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been established, and their precursors. Caused by a complex series of chemical reactions occuring when VOC or NOx air emissions mix with water vapor and oxygen in the presence of sunlight.
Ozone is the prime ingredient of smog in our cities.
Some VOCs are also toxic. A contributor to acid rain . Also a product of incomplete combustion. A contributor to acid rain . A product of fossil fuel combustion.