How hazardous are factory emissions?

Answer 1

It depends on the factory.

But generally, in the U.S., the EPA has pretty tight controls over what factories are allowed to put into the air. Even things that are not dangerous but only annoying are limited.

People might argue about what the limits should be, but it's safe to say that anything that is likely to harm you quickly is not in the emissions of any factory in the U.S.

What kinds of hazardous emissions are there? Ones that the science isn't conclusive, mostly. Or else small amounts of things that science seems to show are only harmful in larger amounts. Some people may be extra-sensitive to these, and it could be that the science it was based on is wrong, and that over many years there may be some harm from the low levels being emitted.

Also, people (especially in the media) are making a huge deal about carbon emissions. Carbon dioxide (which is more than 95% of all carbon emissions) is the same stuff you breathe out and plants breathe in; it's not hazardous at all. Many say it causes Global Warming, based on what's happening on Venus, where carbon dioxide is 96% of the atmosphere. Everyone was freaking out recently when the Earth's carbon dioxide percentage recently reached 400 parts per million, which is 0.04% That means that if it gets 2,500 times worse, it'll be as bad as Venus.