| Increasing use of toxic industrial chemicals, slow | | | | serious health hazards. |
| pace of disposal of toxic wastes from | | | | The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 and its later |
| contaminated sites and lack of effective control in | | | | amendments define air quality and purity |
| reducing emission of greenhouse gases like carbon | | | | standards and compelled market forces and |
| dioxide are contributing to global warming and | | | | industries to control air pollution. Clean Water Act |
| polluting the environment. Cutting of trees, | | | | (1972) defines the U.S. water quality and purity |
| cleaning and reducing forested areas and slow | | | | standards, its 1987 amendment laid down norms |
| replenishing of forested areas are making the | | | | for controlling emission of toxic pollutants and the |
| effects of pollution more devastating. | | | | 1990 amendment made laws to control hazards |
| In recent times the effects of pollution have been | | | | from oil spill. Comprehensive Environmental |
| draining the nutrients from soil, reducing major | | | | Response, Compensation and Liability Act |
| marine life, increasing the presence of harmful | | | | provided for companies to clean toxic wastes |
| microorganisms in water and having adverse | | | | from contaminated sites. Emergency Planning and |
| effects on the biodiversity. American Long | | | | Community Right-to-Know Act (1986) has made |
| Association has reported that particle pollution | | | | it mandatory for the companies to disclose |
| resulting from emissions from power plants, | | | | information about the toxic gases and chemicals |
| vehicles, burning of wood and agricultural products | | | | they release into air, water and land. |
| is increasing risks of asthma attacks, heart | | | | All these laws provide opportunities to people to |
| attacks, cancer and other breathing problems. The | | | | file public interest suits whenever they find |
| same report says that nearly 23 percent of | | | | something wrong being done to pollute the |
| Americans live under conditions of particle pollution | | | | environment. |
| through out the year exposing themselves to | | | | |