What are PAHs?
Short for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs
describe chemicals that are often found together in
groups of two or more. PAHs are found naturally
in the environment but they can also be man-made.
In their purest form, PAHs are solid and range in
appearance from colorless to white or pale yellowgreen.
PAHs are created when products like coal,
oil, gas, and garbage are burned but the burning
process is not complete. Although PAHs can exist
in over 100 different combinations, the National
Waste Minimization Program defines this group
using the Toxic Release Inventory reporting
category for polycyclic aromatic compounds.
Chemicals included in this category, by name and
CAS number, are:
1. Benzo(