Wisconsin's Air Toxics Program

Welcome to the Web page for Wisconsin DNR's Air Toxics Program. Here you will find information and links related to hazardous air pollutants, also called toxic air pollutants or air toxics.

Hazardous or toxic air pollutants are regulated both for their short term (acute) and long term (chronic) effects. People exposed to toxic air pollutants at sufficient concentrations and durations may have an increased chance of getting cancer or experiencing other serious health effects. These health effects can include damage to the immune system, or neurological, reproductive (e.g., reduced fertility), developmental, respiratory and other health problems. Wisconsin regulates several hundred toxic air pollutants under chapter NR 445, Wis. Adm. Code (PDF, exit DNR).

If you need more information on the health effects associated with air pollutants, please consult your physician, city or county health department, or the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Division of Public Health (exit DNR) at (608) 266-1251. Our Web page, More Information About Health Effects of Air Pollutants, contains links to some relevant DHS programs.

Major air toxics topics

• Chapter NR 445, Wis. Admin. Code
• National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs)
• Mercury

Wisconsin air toxics fact sheets

• Revisions to Wiscosin's Air Toxics Rule NR 445, July 2004 (149K PDF)
• Due Diligence and Safe Harbor, July 2004 (150K PDF)
• Incidental Emitters, September 2004 (122K PDF)
• Requirements for Stationary Diesel Engines, June 2006) (89K PDF)

DNR presentations on air toxics

• Overview of Wisconsin's Hazardous Air Pollutant Rule
• PDF version
• Determining Compliance With Wisconsin's Hazardous.Air Pollutant Rule
• PDF version

Other resources concerning hazardous air pollutants

Persistent bioaccumulative toxic substances (PBTs)

EPA Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants [exit DNR]

DHS toxic chemical fact sheets [exit DNR]