Air Quality Basics

Good air quality is important to your health and the environment. How air pollution affects your health and the environment depends on the particular pollutant, its concentration in the air, the length of time of exposure, your own health conditions, and the environmental quality of the area.

There are federal and state standards for a small group of common air pollutants. These standards are called National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) [exit DNR]. Links on this webpage will direct you to information on these criteria air pollutants including sources of a specific pollutant and its health effects, both direct and indirect .

An air program glossary provides information on terms used in the Air Management Program to help you understand the technical issues and documents on this website.