FIGHTING ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION

Article 12 of the Law on the Conservation of Nature (Russian Federation) states: “The content of harmful substances in emissions into the atmosphere, water and soil shall not exceed maximum permissible concentrations established with due regard to all economic interests and hygienic standards.” Russia was one of the first countries in the world to establish legislatively maximum allowable concentrations (MAC) of atmospheric pollutants.

Industrial wastes are of greater concern in certain cities, areas and individual factories. In such cases, purification plants may be built with different methods of purification (mechanical, chemical, electric, complex). The degree of purification obtained extremely varied as it depends on the chemical properties of the pollutants and the efficiency of the method and equipment. There are rough purification methods which are 70 to 85 per cent effective, medium purification — 95 to 98 per cent, and fine purification — over 99 per cent. The purification of industrial wastes not only protects the air from pollution but also saves raw materials and provides the enterprise with additional profit. Trapping and recuperation of useful products in smoke emissions have not only sanitary but also national economic importance.

However, a purification plant is not enough in itself. The most promising way to solve the problem of clean air is to improve technology i.e. reduce emissions into the atmosphere and make maximum profit of wastes. It is cheaper and easier to find a way of eliminating the possibility of waste formation than to build a purification plant which may cost more than the production technology itself. For example, it is rather difficult and expensive to purify every hour hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of air containing compounds of lead and mercury. The process requires a purification plant costing more than the enterprise itself. But, on the other hand, it is quite possible to design process whereby the refinement of lead would exclude the possibility of vapours and aerosols being freely discharged into the atmosphere and causing giant streams of air contaminating surrounding territory by lead.

A similar situation exists with motor transportation: it is not enough to reduce noise and soot in exhaust fumes, the design of engines has to be regularly modernized. Considerable improvements have been introduced into motor transportation operation to reduce air pollution with exhaust fumes and eventually eliminate it completely. The following measures are important to make exhaust fumes less toxic.

1. To introduce improved carburetors, reducing emission of toxic substances.

2. A particularly interesting method to reduce atmospheric pollution is to switch cars to gaseous fuel (liquefied gas)

3. By addition special agents to the fuel it is possible to change the course of oxidation of hydrocarbons and to reduce the formations of some toxic components (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, aldehydes), as well as soot.

4. Neutralization of exhaust gases by installing neutralizers. Of all the devices proposed the best known are flame and catalytic neutralizers.

The most promising thing seems to be the electric automobiles. The major advantages of the electric automobile are quiet running and absence of exhaust fumes, i.e., protection of the environment.

Improvement in city planning is of great importance in keeping air clean. At present factories and plants are now usually built or far removed beyond city limits. Special urban green belts must be established between housing estates and industrial enterprises protecting the population from smoke, gases, dust, noise and unpleasant odours.

Plant life cleans the air in cities of harmful components. Trees serve as biological filters absorbing gas contaminants from the air while particles of dust settle on their leaves and branches.

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