FIFTY YEARS - IAPSC - Investigation of Air Pollution ... · FIFTY YEARS ON FROM THE CLEAN AIR ACT...
Transcript of FIFTY YEARS - IAPSC - Investigation of Air Pollution ... · FIFTY YEARS ON FROM THE CLEAN AIR ACT...
FIFTY YEARS ON FROM THE
CLEAN AIR ACT
Peter Brimblecombe School of Environmental Sciences
University of East AngliaNorwich NR4 7TJ UKJacqueline Morreau
Impression of Killer fog - Embankment, 1952
FOG AND LONDONFOG AND LONDONSmoke and fog long a problem of London life.Enhanced death rates evident by 1650
Jennings, William N. (1860-1946)London Brown Fog a week November 1899
Widely understood by 1890s19th C legislative control of smoke not very effectiveConsistent image of London
Yoshio Markino Gustave Doré
Wolf SuschitzkyYoshio Markino
Yoshio Markino 1952 Smog
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Fog-daysModel SO2
Day/annum
µg m-3 400
200
LONDON FOG and AIR POLLUTION
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LONDON SMOG OF 1952
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SmokeSO2
µg m-3
December air pollution at County Hall
WEEKLY DEATH RATE IN LONDON ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTY 1952
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DeathsSMOG WEEK
PUBLIC IMAGES of PUBLIC IMAGES of the GREAT SMOGthe GREAT SMOG
Cancelled buses, footballLost on the way homeBlind guides
Praying on the steps of St Pauls, convinced of the end of the worldFiresBurglaryLa TraviataCattle-deaths
PUBLIC IMAGES of PUBLIC IMAGES of the GREAT SMOGthe GREAT SMOG
THE FOG AND CRIMINALITYTHE FOG AND CRIMINALITY
Tiger in the Smoke (1952) Lady in the Fog (1952)
Newspapers reported increase in crime…
KRAY BROTHERSKRAY BROTHERS
Grateful for the fogs spent the early1950's dodging the Army
Normally crime increased in fogs,
… but in 1952 the Great Smog rendered London virtually crime free
David Bailey
CHILDREN IN THE SMOGCHILDREN IN THE SMOG
OUTCOME OUTCOME AS EVERYONE KNOWS...AS EVERYONE KNOWS...
Beaver Committee Private Member’s Bill (Nabarro)Clean Air Act (1956)
How many died?What was the role of SO2?
but...but...
STRUCTURE OF THE ACTSTRUCTURE OF THE ACT
Many clauses PHA (1936) 6 CAA (1956) > 40
Detail in memoranda chimney heights smoke control areas industrial premises
Compare with EC/96/62 Air Quality Monitoring and Management Directive
INNOVATION and IMAGINATIONINNOVATION and IMAGINATION
What was wrong with the smoke clauses of the Public Health Act (1936 )?
Challenges personal freedom by controlling what people could burn in their own homes
"chimney of any building..."
DOUBTSDOUBTS
Not enough smokeless fuel...
FACTSFACTS--FACTIONSFACTIONS--FICTIONSFICTIONSMacMillan(Housing)GasmasksMass GravesDelay
Conspiracy and cover up-driven by fading social memory??
FACTSFACTS--FACTIONSFACTIONS--FICTIONSFICTIONS
DeathsBattersea
ReRe--analysis… can be problematicalanalysis… can be problematical
CLEAN AIR ACT (1956) CLEAN AIR ACT (1956) SUCCESS OR FAILURESUCCESS OR FAILURE
Domestic transitionsSmokeless fuelsSlow uptake of smokeless zones in some areasFailure to address SO2
Declining smoke and SO2 – even outside smokeless zones
CAA(1956) CAA(1956) AFFECTS OUR CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAFFECTS OUR CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENT
Personal freedom and the automobile
congestion charges“public transport will never cope…” buses make pollution worseschool runs - less than one in 10 parents believe public transport can get their children to school
Bonfires in gardensRegulation of indoor spaces and furnishings
FREEDOM TO DRIVE TO SCHOOLFREEDOM TO DRIVE TO SCHOOL
HOPLEY, E. BRIMBLECOMBE, P. Clean Air & Env Prot. 32, 75-77 (2002)
THE SCHOOL RUN
PARTICLES IN THE PARIS METROPARTICLES IN THE PARIS METRO
0 5 10 15 20 25
EC
OC
Soluble
Iron
Other elements
PM2.5PM10
S. Mazoue et al (2001)
… role of iron wheels, rails and brakesand Fe may be 280 µg m-3 (80%)
µg m-3
The world and London has changed –PM, winter NO2, summer ozoneCAA(1956) incorporated into CAA(1993)Iconic status
CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS
THE END
Peter Brimblecombe School of Environmental Sciences
University of East AngliaNorwich NR4 7TJ UKJacqueline Morreau
Impression of Killer fog - Embankment, 1952