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Secondary and Primary Pollutants

Pollution has been a source of concern in the United States since the 1970s where it became a national issue under the Nixon Administration. As the issue has transformed and changed, though, the list of types of pollution has grown longer and longer. For instance, primary pollutants are bad enough, but on top of them, secondary pollutants have been added to the noxious mix.

  1. Primary Pollution

    • A primary pollutant is something that is emitted directly from a source into the environment. For instance, a smoke stack on a factory that's releasing pollution directly into the atmosphere is a primary pollutant. Consumers can also be primary polluters if they use one of the older, aerosol cans that emit hydrocarbons into the environment. Cans that contain argon are primary pollutants as the argon creates problems in the atmosphere; cans that do not contain argon but rather use compressed air are safe.

    Secondary Pollution

    • Secondary pollution occurs when two or more types of primary pollution mix together in the environment to create a new pollution substance. These pollutants are not released from a man-made or natural source; rather they're the result of the pollution that's already there, producing something new.

    Examples

    • Some primary pollutants that are released into the air include hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. An example of a secondary pollutant is ozone, which is the direct result of the mixture of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere.

    Regulation

    • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in charge of controlling and regulating pollution that's released into the environment. This agency keeps track of primary pollution released and of secondary pollution activity and attempts to stop as much of it as possible. If levels of these pollutants cause problems, such as argon gas being released into the atmosphere and destroying natural ozone high up in the earth's atmosphere, it is the EPA that's sent in to investigate, levy fines and to report to the government about the situation.

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