Info-Authority.com: Air Pollution Control

Air pollution has been a steadily growing problem for all industrial societies since the 19th century. Carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and sulfur oxide are all byproducts of automobiles and manufacturing plants, and have been increasingly permeating the earth's atmosphere over the last century, causing severe health problems and damage to the environment.

Air Pollution Control Detrimental to Health

A steady rise in cases of bronchitis, emphysema, and aggravated asthmatic attacks has been linked to such emissions, as have ecological dangers such as ozone depletion and acid rain. In the worst cases, air pollution has been directly responsible for deaths, as in numerous industrial accidents in which toxic fumes were improperly contained.

Air Pollution Control Laws

Attempts to control air pollution have taken a two-pronged attack, using legal reform and technological advances. In the legislative field, the United States Congress has enacted a number of Clean Air Acts since the first was passed in 1963, each designed to force manufacturers to control and reduce toxic air emissions. Though some have criticized these laws on the grounds that they are damaging to the economy, they have overall met with a positive response, and similar laws have been passed at state and local levels to impose similar controls. The attempt to curb air pollution through legislative means has recently stumbled, however, with the unwillingness of the United States to ratify the Kyoto Accord, a worldwide effort to force nations to comply with a mutual policy of reducing air contaminants.

Air Pollution Control Equipment

Fortunately, there exists a wide variety of specialized equipment for the purpose of controlling air pollution -- all of which function by either destroying pollutants or intercepting them before they can escape into the air. Equipment used to control air pollution include:

Scrubbers, emitting chemicals that neutralize or absorb various pollutants

Electrostatic precipitators, using electrical charges to attract particles found in pollutants and thereby remove them from exhaust

Bag filters, operating as sieves to catch large dust particles and the like

Carbon absorbers, similar to electrostatic precipitators, these are often found in water filters

Cyclone separators, creating an artificial vortex to separate heavier pollutants from lighter gases.

Sources of Air Pollution

Air pollution is not purely limited to industrial wastes found in the atmosphere. Air supplies of interior areas can also be contaminated, most commonly by certain toxic substances used in construction, such as lead paint or asbestos. Radon gas can occasionally be absorbed from the atmosphere into a home, where it will may settle and cause health problems. Secondhand tobacco smoke is also well-established as a pollutant, and may cause a risk of lung cancer if introduced excessively into an enclosed space. In general, most of the dangers of interior air pollution can be averted with an effective ventilation system.

By Matthew Ingalls




	Air Pollution Control Air pollution has been a steadily growing problem for all industrial societies since the 19th century. Carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and sulfur oxide are all byproducts of automobiles and manufacturing plants, and have been increasingly permeating the earth's atmosphere over the last century, causing severe health problems and damage to the environment. Air Pollution Control Detrimental to Health A steady rise in cases of bronchitis, emphysema, and aggravated asthmatic attacks has been linked to such emissions, as have ecological dangers such as ozone depletion and acid rain. In the worst cases, air pollution has been directly responsible for deaths, as in numerous industrial accidents in which toxic fumes were improperly contained. Air Pollution Control Laws Attempts to control air pollution have taken a two-pronged attack, using legal reform and technological advances. In the legislative field, the United States Congress has enacted a number of Clean Air Acts since the first was passed in 1963, each designed to force manufacturers to control and reduce toxic air emissions. Though some have criticized these laws on the grounds that they are damaging to the economy, they have overall met with a positive response, and similar laws have been passed at state and local levels to impose similar controls. The attempt to curb air pollution through legislative means has recently stumbled, however, with the unwillingness of the United States to ratify the Kyoto Accord, a worldwide effort to force nations to comply with a mutual policy of reducing air contaminants. Air Pollution Control Equipment Fortunately, there exists a wide variety of specialized equipment for the purpose of controlling air pollution -- all of which function by either destroying pollutants or intercepting them before they can escape into the air. Equipment used to control air pollution include: Scrubbers, emitting chemicals that neutralize or absorb various pollutants Electrostatic precipitators, using electrical charges to attract particles found in pollutants and thereby remove them from exhaust Bag filters, operating as sieves to catch large dust particles and the like Carbon absorbers, similar to electrostatic precipitators, these are often found in water filters Cyclone separators, creating an artificial vortex to separate heavier pollutants from lighter gases. Sources of Air Pollution Air pollution is not purely limited to industrial wastes found in the atmosphere. Air supplies of interior areas can also be contaminated, most commonly by certain toxic substances used in construction, such as lead paint or asbestos. Radon gas can occasionally be absorbed from the atmosphere into a home, where it will may settle and cause health problems. Secondhand tobacco smoke is also well-established as a pollutant, and may cause a risk of lung cancer if introduced excessively into an enclosed space. In general, most of the dangers of interior air pollution can be averted with an effective ventilation system. By Matthew Ingalls Related Links: Solutions for Your Clean Air Requirements Sample list of commercial air-pollution reducers, with information on their use.