Introduction
Air pollution is defined as the introduction of biological molecules, particulates, and other harmful substances into the air in sufficient quantities such that they cause damage to the health of living organisms including human beings, plants, and animals and may sometimes cause death. These pollutants may also cause harm to property resulting in corrosion of buildings and causing them to crumble or destroy the environment by introducing foul odors and reducing visibility.
Two different types of air pollution exist: natural or artificial, depending on the causative factors. Air pollutants are also classified into primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are directly responsible for air degradation, for example, sulfur dioxide released in fossil fuel combustion. Secondary pollutants, on the other hand, are a result of the intermingling of primary sources of pollution, for example, smog. There are various causes of air pollution. Combustion of fossil fuels liberates sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Adding to this is motor vehicle pollution activities that release dangerous gasses into the air. Carbon monoxide is a product of traffic pollution along with nitrogen oxides produced from natural and man-made combustion processes. Agricultural activities that employ the use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides release ammonia as a by-product into the air and also cause land and water degradation. Exhaust from industries depletes the quality of the air by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and volatile chemicals into the atmosphere. These industries also release radioactive waste which pollutes the environment and the air by leaking radon gas into it. During mining operations, dust and chemicals are released into the atmosphere and cause harm to the environment and the health of workers and surrounding communities. There are also indoor air pollution activities that include the use of paints which emit various toxins into the air, household cleaning products, and smoking within or outside the house (Rinkesh).
History of Air Pollution
Air pollution has long been a persistent problem especially in the main cities such as London. Back in the Middle-Ages, coal was a major energy resource but had detrimental effects on the atmosphere and people’s health. The industrial revolution which rocked the UK and many parts of Europe during the 18th and 19th century utilized coal as a primary source of energy. During this era, factories and industrial plants were located inside the cities and together with the use of coal domestically, urban atmosphere degradation was very high. Foggy conditions caused the formation of smog and brought many businesses and traffic movement to a halt due to poor visibility and also dramatic rise in death rates. In 1875, the Public Health Act included a smoke abatement part which would try to curb smoke pollution in the urban centers ("History of Air Pollution"). In the first part of the 20th century, there were strict industrial control systems implemented to reduce smog pollution in urban areas. By 1926, more smoke abatement policies had been drafted, and even though coal was growing less popular as a source of energy domestically and in larger plants, the remaining uses contributed significantly to air pollution. In 1952, the resulting smog and soot from industries located in London caused 4,000 deaths in what was known as the Great London Smog of 1952. This led to the administration of Clean Air Acts on 1956 and 1968 which established smokeless zones in urban areas that were equipped with a tall chimney law to enable dispersion of industrial pollutants into the atmosphere away from areas where people lived. In the USA, air pollution ordinances were placed in as many as 200 cities as early as the 1920s. States such as California became pioneers in establishing air pollution control acts in the 1950s, followed by the government passing the Clean Air Act in 1963 and some of the most stringent measures against air pollution in the 1970s.
The quality of air started to improve throughout the 1970s as other regulations were also introduced, including policies for the composition of vehicle fuel and limits of the sulfur content of industrial oils. During the 1980s, the number of vehicles drastically increased, and air pollution problems associated with the same became rampant. The primary pollutants identified were lead, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide which became a major concern especially in urban settings. Winter and summer smog started occurring in the 1990s due to chemical reactions between motor vehicle pollutants and sunlight resulting in ‘photochemical smog’. Governments in Britain and USA published environment acts and protection agencies which saw the publication of a national air quality strategy that would set standards for the regulation of most conventional air pollutants and require local authorities’ participation in setting air quality objectives and laws.
Pros and Cons of Air Pollution
The main advantage of air pollution is that it has enabled people to come up with stringent measures and advanced technology to control atmospheric contamination by pollutants from the industries and domestically. Using this technology, future air pollution can be avoided. air pollution has also created a whole and unique industry concerned with reducing pollution to logical levels and planting of trees in all areas especially cities and industrial regions to regulate the flow of air. This industry has also generated thousands of jobs for people involved in atmospheric conservation.
Air pollution causes harm to living organisms, damages crops and property too. It causes detrimental health effects to the body and results in the development of breathing problems such as asthma and bronchitis; and also causes cancer such as lung cancer which kills many people. Many deaths occurring in urban centers and industrialized nations are attributed to the effects of atmospheric pollution. Air pollution exposes crops to poisonous gasses and affects their growth. Effects of global warming and climate change are widely felt in the form of reduced crop yields and desertification of many areas. Additionally, the existence of carbon monoxide and soot in the air dirties buildings by causing blackening and buildup of ugly dark patches on the walls of these buildings. Air pollution is also known to cause ‘cooling effects’ when volcanic smog rises to the stratosphere and acid rain when sulfur dioxide mixes with rainwater to produce sulfuric acid which is dangerous to people and animals (Woodford).
Solution: Air Pollution Control Law
The primary solution to air pollution is the implementation of pollution control laws in the form of Clean Air Acts. These controls specify the appropriate emission standards permissible from particular pollutants and ambient air quality objectives that define the maximum allowed concentrations of designated pollutants. In Canada, these laws include the PM, O3 and Canadian Environment Protection Act regulations. The federal government controls air pollutants in Canada where the international impact is significant or emissions would result in great danger to the people’s health or violate the CEPA treaty. The Canadian government has issued various policies to enhance the regulation of industries such as asbestos mining, secondary lead smelting, chloralkali mercury processing, and vinyl-chloride and polyvinyl chloride manufacture. The government also controls ozone-depleting pollutants and prohibits the use of lead in gasoline. Provincial authorities enhance command over local and domestic air pollution. Organizations that plan to build a factory which will emit contaminants into the atmosphere must first seek permission from these authorities which set the required standards in unison with federal standards of air pollution. Housing authorities, through the Health Canada initiative, control indoor pollution activities. Air quality forecasting and smog reviews are issued by provincial and federal authorities which also report on the Air Quality Health Index, pollution indices, and ultraviolent forecasts which warn and prevent against prolonged exposure to the sunlight (Hughes and Franson).
Some people are against air pollution control policies because these laws might be politically motivated. According to Monbiot, many corporations that are involved in the creation of these policies are the same ones involved in industrial and pollution activities, and hence these policies may be construed to favor their manufacturing and production processes at the cost of the people who endure the health effects of pollution. These policies are a classic indicator of political corruption because they cannot be repealed or publicly defended against. They are politically aligned against the public interest and seek to serve the industrial conglomerates and the national government (Monbiot).
Conclusion
Numerous studies are being conducted on atmospheric pollution and its effects on the people, animals, and property. Air pollution means different problems on different scales, from passive smoking to industrial smog, and solving this issue should start with personal objectives such as stopping smoking. The incorporation of various technologies can help tackle this issue, followed by stringent and independent laws and regulations that serve the public interest of the vast majority. However, the policy framework that governs the air quality issues is complex as the science of pollution and the interference of conglomerates and political powers is great. Nevertheless, this should not deter ordinary citizens from becoming involved in protection of the environment and the air.
Works Cited
"History of Air Pollution". Enviropedia.org.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
Hughes, Elaine., and Robert Franson. "Environmental Law". The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., 2001. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
Monbiot, George. "Tory Lobbying Against Air Pollution Laws Smells Of Political Corruption | George Monbiot". The Guardian. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
Rinkesh,. "Causes, Effects And Solutions Of Air Pollution - Conserve Energy Future". Conserve-Energy-Future. N.p., 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
Woodford., Chris. "Air Pollution - A Simple Introduction to Its Causes and Effects". Explain that Stuff. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
