Our Environmental Services division fights for a higher quality of life for all residents through balanced, responsible environmental protection. We work to increase safety by addressing environmental threats to clean air and water for the Toledo region. We take pride in serving as an environmental leader and consultant for other local, state, and federal agencies.

Air

Our Air section manages, protects, and improves air quality at the local and regional level. Air pollution comes from many different sources such as factories, power plants, and smelters and smaller sources such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains. Air pollution is also generated from naturally occurring sources such as windblown dust. To apply for air permits, please visit the Ohio EPA website.

Ohio EPA Division of Air Pollution Control

Brownfield Revitalization

Our Brownfield Revitalization program takes vacant, abandoned, or underutilized properties with environmental complications and supports the remediation and redevelopment of the land. We have acquired over $14 million in various federal, state, local and private funding sources to redevelop land in Toledo for a variety of purposes. Our team helps facilitate property transactions, completes environmental assessments and remediation and assists in the redevelopment of properties.

Learn more about Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Learn more about the Brownfield Assessment grant

Emergency Response

Our Emergency Response Program responds to actual and potential releases of hazardous substances that pose an acute threat to public health and/or the environment. We interact with a number of other state, federal and local agencies in carrying out these emergency response activities, assessing and remediating environmental issues.

Report an environmental concern

Laboratory

Our Laboratory Section provides expertise and cost effective chemical and microbiological analytical services. Each laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art analytical equipment that provides accurate results based on EPA approved methods. Water quality analyses are performed by qualified chemists, reviewed by laboratory supervisors, and validated by a quality assurance officer to ensure the quality and consistency of our methods. In addition to our team of chemists we also have an emergency response team and water section personnel trained in proper field sampling who are responsible for the collection of water.

Water

Our Water section is responsible for managing and protecting the City’s water resources, including the restoration and enhancement of natural and human environments.

Stormwater

Our Stormwater section manages all stormwater entering into the City’s storm system to protect water resources and address stormwater quality. Stormwater management aims to both reduce the quantity and improve the quality of stormwater runoff. As mandated, the City is required to develop, implement and enforce on its MS4 Stormwater Management Program to comply with coverage under its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) Phase I MS4 Permit, issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Pretreatment

Our Pretreatment program samples and inspects industrial facilities to regulate discharge of industrial waste into the sanitary sewer system. The program is also tasked with monitoring and inspecting food service establishments to prevent the discharge of fats, oils, and grease into the sanitary sewer system. Industries must meet specific waste water limits in their discharge before a permit is issued by the City. We issue permits to industrial wastewater dischargers, sample permitted dischargers, and ensure that all laws and regulations are followed.