Methods to Reduce Air Pollution Essay - 1898 Words

Methods to Reduce Air Pollution Air pollution is nothing new. Ever since the discovery of fire, less-than-desirable substances have been vented into the air. One of the first air-pollution regulations dates back to the fourteenth century, when King Edward I banned the burning of sea coal in lime kilns. U.S. air-pollution regulations have their roots in British Common Law. But regardless of those efforts, air pollution continues to be a serious local and world-wide problem. Pollution is the pressure within the air of one or more substances that are harmful to human health, welfare, animal or plant life, or property. In the past with air pollution we included mainly the outdoor pollutants, although in recent years this is not the case.†¦show more content†¦All these particles are mainly products of combustion. The major sources include industrial processes, power plants that are both coal and oil-fired, residential heating, and transportation. But coal burning is the greatest source. Table 1 below shows estimates of U.S. particulate emissions from various sources. TABLE 1 National U.S. Emissions Estimates-1990 (Million metric tons/year) SOURCE PARTICULATES SULFUR OXIDES CARBON MONOXIDES Transportation Highway 1.3 0.6 30.3 Aircraft 0.1 0 1.1 RailSea 0 0.3 1.9 Off-Highway equipment 0.1 0.1 4.4 TOTAL 1.5 1 37.7 Stationary fuel combustion Electric utilities 0.4 14.2 0.3 Indusrial furnaces 0.3 2.3 0.7 Commercial 0 0.4 0.1 Residential 1 0.3 6.4 TOTAL 1.7 17.2 7.5 Industrial processes 2.8 3.1 4.7 Solid waste disposal 0.3 0 1.7 Miacellaneous Forest fires 1.1 0 8.1 Other burning 0.1 0 0.6 Misc. Organic solvents 0 0 0 TOTAL 1.2 0 8.7 OVERALL TOTAL 7.5 21.3 60.3 Only 13% of the total is generated by transportation. Industrial sources account for nearly three times as much as 37%. Fires account for just about as much particulate emissions as transportation. That amount is matched by combustion from sources, which include the generation of all heat and electricity. Emissions When coal was the main source to generate energy, power plants and homes accounted for much greaterShow MoreRelatedAmbient Air Pollution Is Bad For The Planet977 Words   |  4 PagesLinked to Exposure of Ambient Air Pollution Most people have heard that air pollution is bad for the planet. That pollutants we put in the air are causing this thing called â€Å"Global Warming.† The information that sometimes gets left out is the impact of ambient air pollution to the health of humans. Ambient air pollution is outdoor pollution originating from industries, cars, and trucks. These pollutants can wreak havoc on the human respiratory system (Ambient air pollution). Respiratory conditions suchRead MoreProblems Face by Earth948 Words   |  4 Pagesgreenhouse gases in the air. Planting trees and recycling also helps. If you recycle, less trash goes to the dump, and less trash gets burned. As a result, there are fewer greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere. 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