GREAT LONDON SMOG (1952): A period of cold weather, combined with
windless conditions and airborne pollutants from the use of burning coal,
formed a thick, choking layer of (gray) industrial smog for 5 days in London
in 1952. Over 100,000 people became ill, and over 12,000 people died.
SMOG IN CHINA: Air pollution in Chinese cities is of increasing concern.
Particulates in the air can adversely affect human health and impact the
climate and precipitation. Coal burning is a primary source of fine-particle air
pollution (PMx) and has reduced life expectancies by almost 6 years in the
north of China as a result of heart and lung diseases. Air pollution increases
during winter months as people burn more coal to keep warm. Additionally,
there is a very large amount of air pollution from industrial sources.
In 2014, China’s cabinet announced that:
- China would implement a series of measures aimed at shifting the
primary energy source from coal to natural gas and renewables. - Pricing mechanisms would be used to favor cleaner alternatives to coal.
- Financial incentives would be offered to encourage green energy
companies. - The government would place tougher controls over emissions and
introduce better support for developing clean technologies. - A $2 billion fund would be established to help companies meet new
environmental standards.
In 2016, there was some improvement in the air quality in Beijing
resulting from the following measures: Over half a million cars that did not
meet emission standards were denied registration, and the last large coal-fired
power plant in Beijing was shut down and replaced with a plant powered by
natural gas.
RELEVANT LAWS
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ACT (1955): The nation’s first piece of
federal legislation regarding air pollution. Identified air pollution as a national
problem and announced that research and additional steps to improve the
situation needed to be taken.