How Do Sulfur Oxides Impact My Environment and Health?
Sulfur oxides (SOx) are compounds formed when materials containing sulfur reach elevated temperatures. These compounds are produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes including energy production. Sulfur oxide emissions, in the form of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and sulfur trioxide (SO₃), can cause a variety of health and environmental impacts because of how they react with other substances in the air. Primarily, they dissolve in water vapor to form acid rain. The wind can then transport these compounds far from their point of origin. This means problems from emissions are not confined to single geographic areas. Sulfur oxides contribute to three main health and environmental areas: air pollution, acid rain, and haze. However, we are making great headway in reducing emissions, thereby reducing the associated environmental and health issues. More information.

	Peak levels of SO2 can particularly affect people with asthma.

Air Pollution Health Issues
SO₂ reacts with other chemicals in the air to form tiny sulfate particles that contribute to respiratory illnesses, especially in children and the elderly. This particulate can also aggravate existing heart and lung disease. Peak levels of SO₂ can cause temporary breathing difficulty for asthmatics who are active outdoors. Even healthy people can have their lungs damaged by acidic air pollutants.

Acid Rain
When SO₂ emissions are blown into areas with wet weather, they react with the rain, snow, or fog for form acidic substances (acid rain). In dry areas, they may fall to the ground as acids or dusts. In either case, these acidic substances can travel great distances and damage the environment as well as physical structures.

Acid rain also damages certain types of land vegetation and can change soil characteristics. Lakes and streams can become more acidic, rendering some waters unfit for habitation by certain fish and wildlife species.

Degraded Visibility (Haze)
SO₂ emissions can cause reduced visibility because they increase the scattering and adsorption of light – resulting in haze.

The diagram below shows how anthropogenic (human caused) sources of emissions can flow into the atmosphere and combine to form acid rain, which then returns to earth.

Source: What is Acid Rain?