Yet because ammonia is so reactive, it’s difficult to detect unless huge amounts are released at once. When the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality agreed to monitor air pollution in Duplin County as part of a settlement with Rural Empowerment Association for Community Help (REACH) and other civil rights groups, it found just five instances of elevated ammonia levels, none of which were high enough to trigger federal action. The program was discontinued after a year, when the department said it found no significant air-quality problems.

Source: Washington Post May 10, 2021 19:03 UTC