Los Angeles smog

Air Pollution

Air pollution is any substance in the air that is harmful to people or the environment. The California Air Resources Board works to reduce:

  • Smog-forming emissions
  • Air toxics
  • Particulate matter
  • Climate changing gases

Smog is the most pervasive form of air pollution, immediately impacting our ability to breathe and causing underlying health conditions to worsen.

Air toxics are pollutants identified as causing serious long-term health impacts or premature deaths.

Particulate Matter, or PM, is a complex mixture of small solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. The smallest of these are a significant threat to public health as they can penetrate deeply within the body.

Climate-changing emissions are altering the basic operating conditions of our planet, changing entire ecosystems and making other forms of pollution even more difficult to address.

Air Pollution Complaints

CARB conducts special investigations of air pollution complaints from all over the state, monitors the complaint hotline and informs Air Districts of possible violations of district rules, and assists in conducting selected complaint investigations.