Air pollution has many disastrous effects that need to be curbed.  In order to accomplish this, governments, scientists and environmentalists are using or testing a variety of methods aimed at reducing pollution.

There are two main types of pollution control.

Input control involves preventing a problem before it occurs, or at least limiting the effects the process will produce.

Five major input control methods exist.  People may try to restrict population growth, use less energy, improve energy efficiency, reduce waste, and move to non-polluting renewable forms of energy production.  Also, automobile-produced pollution can be decreased with highly beneficial results.

Output control, the opposite method, seeks to fix the problems caused by air pollution.  This usually means cleaning up an area that has been damaged by pollution.

Input controls are usually more effective than output controls.  Output controls are also more expensive, making them less desirable to tax payers and polluting industries.

Current air pollution control efforts are not all highly effective.  In wealthier countries, industries are often able to shift to methods that decrease air pollution.  In the United States, for example, air pollution control laws have been successful in stopping air pollution levels from rising.  However, in developing countries and even in countries where pollution is strictly regulated, much more needs to be done.