1904: The city of Philadelphia passed a city-wide law to monitor the release of smoke from stacks, chimneys, and flues.
This law provided a gradient of smoke colors that are released and the severity. The Bureau of Boiler Inspectors regulated the emissions; if the smoke was beyond a certain shade of grey, it was pronounced illegal. Discharge of non-compliant smoke would require punishment. This piece of legislation was evidence of Philadelphia’s residents’ concern with the quality of their city’s air. Although this law did not sprout immediate wide concern about the air that citizens breathe, it reveals the environmental consciousness of the city before national action was taken. Limitations on harmful smoke emissions show encouragement of healthy air, therefore a safer world for humans, animals, and plants to live in. Minimal regulations like these sprout from curiosity in the subject. Air quality interest also leads to research on the impact of air pollution on life, as well as ways in which it can be limited further. Many more technical and more restricting legislation was to come for industries and residents of Philadelphia.
1970: Air Management Services established an air monitoring network around Philadelphia.
This act proved the seriousness in Philadelphia’s concern with the well-being of their breathing environment. Testing of air quality in different spots of the city began to occur, revealing the most environmentally hazardous regions of Philadelphia. In addition, companies were required to complete surveys on the processes in which they act. The data collected by this network could be used to pinpoint the most harmful companies and industries. Besides testing air quality and researching where the air quality damage produces, a main intension of this action was to reduce the particulate matter, SO2, and hydrocarbon released into the atmosphere. Air quality control was enforced by “inspectors” who sued individuals and organizations that were not compliant with the regulations in place.
2006: An Air Quality Improvement Fund is established from collections of the Air Management Services organization.
36 years after the Air Management Services put in place the network of air monitors throughout Philadelphia, the money received from incompliant companies and air polluters was collected in order to fund city-wide tasks to assist in bettering the quality of the air and to enforce air quality standards. Not only does this fund produce advancements in air quality, but it also encourages the compliance to the requirements in place by the Air Management Services. During this time, enforcement of environmental health is much stricter than ever before, and progress has been made. Dramatic reduction in emissions of harmful air pollutant occurred from 1966 to 1996 (SO2 reduced by 94%). The development of additions and modifications of previously made legislations are a trend for the activity towards better air quality control and environmentalism at this time. The intentions of the initial laws are the same but with more intensity as research builds up the severity of the problem.
Bibliography:
"History of Air Pollution Control in Philadelphia." (2005): n. pag. City of Philadelphia. Web.
This law provided a gradient of smoke colors that are released and the severity. The Bureau of Boiler Inspectors regulated the emissions; if the smoke was beyond a certain shade of grey, it was pronounced illegal. Discharge of non-compliant smoke would require punishment. This piece of legislation was evidence of Philadelphia’s residents’ concern with the quality of their city’s air. Although this law did not sprout immediate wide concern about the air that citizens breathe, it reveals the environmental consciousness of the city before national action was taken. Limitations on harmful smoke emissions show encouragement of healthy air, therefore a safer world for humans, animals, and plants to live in. Minimal regulations like these sprout from curiosity in the subject. Air quality interest also leads to research on the impact of air pollution on life, as well as ways in which it can be limited further. Many more technical and more restricting legislation was to come for industries and residents of Philadelphia.
1970: Air Management Services established an air monitoring network around Philadelphia.
This act proved the seriousness in Philadelphia’s concern with the well-being of their breathing environment. Testing of air quality in different spots of the city began to occur, revealing the most environmentally hazardous regions of Philadelphia. In addition, companies were required to complete surveys on the processes in which they act. The data collected by this network could be used to pinpoint the most harmful companies and industries. Besides testing air quality and researching where the air quality damage produces, a main intension of this action was to reduce the particulate matter, SO2, and hydrocarbon released into the atmosphere. Air quality control was enforced by “inspectors” who sued individuals and organizations that were not compliant with the regulations in place.
2006: An Air Quality Improvement Fund is established from collections of the Air Management Services organization.
36 years after the Air Management Services put in place the network of air monitors throughout Philadelphia, the money received from incompliant companies and air polluters was collected in order to fund city-wide tasks to assist in bettering the quality of the air and to enforce air quality standards. Not only does this fund produce advancements in air quality, but it also encourages the compliance to the requirements in place by the Air Management Services. During this time, enforcement of environmental health is much stricter than ever before, and progress has been made. Dramatic reduction in emissions of harmful air pollutant occurred from 1966 to 1996 (SO2 reduced by 94%). The development of additions and modifications of previously made legislations are a trend for the activity towards better air quality control and environmentalism at this time. The intentions of the initial laws are the same but with more intensity as research builds up the severity of the problem.
Bibliography:
"History of Air Pollution Control in Philadelphia." (2005): n. pag. City of Philadelphia. Web.