Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution

  • Announcements

    12/10/2024 - EPA completes review of secondary standards. 
    2/7/2024 - EPA strengthens air quality standard for fine particle pollution (PM2.5)

Particulate Matter Basics

  • What is PM, and how does it get into the air?
  • What are the harmful effects of PM?
  • What is being done to reduce PM pollution?
    • How can I reduce my exposure?

Setting and Reviewing the Standards

  • What are PM standards?
  • How are they developed and reviewed?
  • What scientific and technical information supports reviews?

Implementing the Standards

  • Designations: How do we know if an area is not meeting standards?
  • What are the state implementation plan (SIP) requirements?
  • How do states develop SIPs and start improving air quality?

Air Quality Where You Live

  • View current and forecasted air quality conditions across the U.S.
  • Explore current locations of wildfires
  • Review data from air quality monitors across the world

Visit AirNow.gov

Wildfire Smoke

  • Learn about how wildfire smoke can affect you and how to protect yourself.

Other Common Air Pollutants

  • Ground-level Ozone
  • Carbon Monoxide (CO)
  • Lead (Pb)
  • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

See information on all criteria pollutants.

Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on March 26, 2025
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.