HISTORY AND EMERGENCE OF AIR POLLUTION

Fire is one of the oldest sorts of pollution, and even today natural forest fires cause pollution. However, pollution, particularly in cities, is never a replacement phenomenon because back within the Middle Ages the utilization of coal in cities like London was starting to find significance. The issues of poor urban air quality whilst early because the end of the 16th century is well documented. The economic revolution during the 18th and 19th centuries has supported the utilization of coal within the UK where industries were usually located in towns and cities and therefore coal used in homes elevated urban air pollution to higher levels. Moreover, under foggy atmospheric conditions, pollution levels were critically high causing cities to halt, disrupting traffic, and even significantly increasing death rates. The effect of such pollution was also found within the built and inbuilt environment and vegetation which facilitated Public Health Act, with a smoke abatement section which came into force in 1875 aiming at controlling pollution.