Criteria Pollutants Law and Legal Definition
The Clean Air Act Amendment of 1970 required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for certain pollutants which are considered to be hazardous to human health. The EPA identified six pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, total suspended particulates, sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen oxide. The EPA set standards to protect human health and welfare from these pollutants. The EPA has the duty to explain the characteristics and health and welfare effects caused by these pollutants. This is known as criteria pollutants which basically describe the disadvantages caused by these pollutants.
