Purpose: based on the analysis of literature data and regulatory documents, priority ways of preventing chemical pollution of atmospheric air and assessing its quality in the EU countries and the USA were identified.

Materials and methods: sources of scientific literature, EU Directives, Materials of the European Air Protection Agency. The method of theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific information is used.

Results: the leading role of chemical air pollution in the formation of population morbidity, the impact on public health in general and oncological pathology in particular is shown. An analysis of the discussion of the problem at international conferences and forums was carried out, a number of declarations and air quality standards were considered. The air quality standards for the protection of public health, recommended in the Quality Directives in the European Union, are given. The air quality standards (limit concentrations and reference concentrations of harmful impurities in the air) recommended by the WHO are given.

The conclusion about the need to harmonize the domestic regulatory framework to EU standards is made and the main directions for actions aimed at minimizing the negative impact of chemical air pollution on the population are identified.

atmospheric air, chemical pollution, quality standards, reference concentrations, management directives

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