History of Air Pollution

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History of Air Pollution
In AD 61 Roman philosopher Seneca reported
thus on conditions in Rome As soon as I had
gotten out of the heavy air of Rome and from the
stink of the smoky chimneys thereof, which, being
stirred, poured forth whatever pestilential
vapors and soot they had enclosed in them, I felt
an alteration of my disposition.   Coal
burning caused air pollution in England under
King Henry II. Coal burning prohibited in
1306.   In 1661 John Evelyn submitted the
brochure Fumifumigium, or the Inconvenience of
the Aer, and Smoake of London Dissipated
(together with some remedies humbly proposed to
King Charles II and the Parliament.   Next
stage of heavy air pollution resulted after the
Industrial Revolution. Predominant air pollution
in the 19th century resulted from smoke and ash
from coal burning or oil in boiler furnaces of
stationary power plants, locomotives and marine
vessels, and in home heating fireplaces.   Smok
e and ash abatement in Great Britain was
confirmed by the first Public Health Act of 1848.
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In the U.S. smoke abatement was considered a
municipal responsibility. In the 1880s the first
municipal ordinances and regulations were
directed towards industrial. locomotive and
marine rather than domestic sources.   In
the 20th century, the period 1900-1925 steam
locomotives were replaced by electric driven,
thus transferring the air pollution from railroad
to the electric generating station. Rapid
increase in automobiles, however, negated the
improvement in air pollution from locomotives and
furnaces. Principal technological advances in
terms of air pollution control appeared during
this time. Electrostatic precipitators were
designed and built, large scale gas treating
devices were built through the involvement of
chemical engineers in process design and
modification.   In the period 1925-50, air
pollution problems in major cities became an
issue. Meuse valley in Belgium (1930), Donora,
PA (1948), Poza Rica, Mexico (1950), Los Angeles,
CA (1940s) etc. Air pollution research got a
start in CA. Toxicology came of age. The
scientific and technological explosion in air
pollution control took off.
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1950-80. Major air pollution disaster in 1952
in London lead to the Clean Air Act in 1956 in
Great Britain. Similar legislations and
research efforts appeared in France, the
Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Japan. In the
U.S. the first federal air pollution legislation
enacted in 1955. Responsibility for
administering it was with US PHS. In 1970 US EPA
was created. The legislations were amended and
extended several times.   1980s Major
efforts to revamp the EPA. State DEQs were
created and responsibility was shared between
federal and state agencies. Global problems like
greenhouse effects, ozone hole depletion,
chlorofluorocarbons issues, acid rain etc became
topics of concern.   1990s Clean air act
amendments in Nov, 1990. Other problems such as
global climate changes, stratospheric ozone
depletion etc became more prominent issues.
Where do we go from here in regulations and air
quality improvements??
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Basic composition of the atmosphere
Compound Dry air (ppm) Wet basis(ppm)   Nitrogen
780,000 756,500 Oxygen 209,400 202,900
Water -- 31,200 Argon 9,300 9,000 Carbon
dioxide 315 305 Neon 18 17.4 Helium 5
.2 5.0 Methane 1.0-1.2 0.97-1.16 Krypton
1.0 0.97 Nitrous oxide 0.5 0.49 Hydrogen
0.5 0.49 Xenon 0.08 0.08 Organic
vapors -0.02 -0.02
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Basic Assumptions for Air Pollution
Control   1. Air belongs to everyone.   2. Moder
n life leads to some air pollution even though
minute.   3. Public policy on pollution can be
rationalized through scientific
knowledge.   4. Transfer of pollution from one
sector to another is not pollution prevention or
abatement.
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CATEGORIES OF AIR POLLUTION

• Ambient air pollution U.S. EPA regulations.
• Indoor air pollution U.S. EPA regulations.
• Occupational air pollution OSHA sets the
  standards based on ACGIH/NIOSH recommendations.
• Personal exposure -

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AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PHILOSOPHIES

• AIR EMISSION STANDARDS
• AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
• EMISSION TAXES
• COST-BENEFIT STANDARDS

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AIR EMISSION STANDARD PHILOSOPHY
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AIR QUALITY STANDARDS PHILOSOPHY

• Based on the premise that the true air
  concentration possible is that determined by the
  threshold in a dose response curve.
• The Clean Air Act takes this approach.
  Determines the National Ambient Air Quality
  Criteria (NAAQS) for each class of pollutants.
• Requires that we consider a rigorous system
  called the air pollution control system that
  includes both the scientific aspects of
  toxicology and air quality modeling.

No-threshold
Response
Threshold
Dose
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Flow Diagram for NAAQS
Start
Measure air quality
Acceptable ?
Predict future Air quality, accounting For growth
Yes
No
Acceptable?
Yes
stop
Compute needed Emission reductions
No
Enforce needed Emission reductions
Compute and enforce Future needed Emission
controls
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Emission Tax Philosophy

• Each emitter pays according to amount emitted.
  Example X / lb of air pollutant released.
• Incentives tax benefits for industries
  Government loans for upgrade public subsidies
  for pollution prevention.
• Benefits mostly large industries.
• Right to pollute should never be for sale!!!

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Cost-Benefit Philosophy

• Assumes no-thresholds, or, if so unattainable.
• Accept some benefits through cost/benefit
  analysis.
• Shortcomings who pays? Who benefits? One
  polluter, several pay for it? Placing value on
  damage to what (human health)?

Pollution Damage cost
Pollution Control cost
Cost
Total cost
optimum
Ambient air concentration
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Features of Various Air Pollution Control
Philosophies
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National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Five
Principal Air Pollutants