Global haze first appeared in 1930.
From December 1 to 15, 1930, the entire Belgium was shrouded in heavy fog and the climate was abnormal. There are 13 factories in the Maas Valley Industrial Zone (Maas Valley is a 24-kilometer-long valley next to the Maas River in Belgium. The Maas Valley area is an important industrial area with 3 refineries, 3 There are 3 metal smelting plants, 4 glass plants and 3 zinc smelting plants, as well as power, sulfuric acid, fertilizer plants and lime kilns. The industrial areas are all located in a narrow basin.) The large amount of smoke emitted permeates the valley and cannot be diffused. Harmful gases are accumulating thicker and thicker in the atmosphere, and their accumulation is approaching the limit of harming health.
From December 5 to 8, 1952, a disaster struck London, England. There is a high pressure center over the city of London, located in the Thames River Valley. There has been no wind for several days, and the anemometer reads zero. Heavy fog has shrouded the city of London. It is also the time when a large amount of coal is burned in the city in winter. The soot and dust emitted accumulate in the windless state. Smoke and moisture accumulate in the atmosphere, causing the sky above the city to be filled with smoke for four or five consecutive days, with extremely poor visibility. Low. Under such weather conditions, planes were forced to cancel flights, cars had to turn on their lights even when driving during the day, and pedestrians found it extremely difficult to walk and had to fumble along the sidewalk.
Supplementary information:
1. Britain:
In the 19th century, Britain entered a period of rapid industrial development, and the exhaust gas produced by London factories formed extremely thick gray-yellow smog. . It was most serious in the 1950s, with an average of about 50 "foggy days" (that is, days when the field of view does not exceed 1,000 meters) in a year. According to records, in the four days from December 5th to 8th alone, the death toll in London due to severe haze was as high as 4,000. The incidence of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, coronary heart disease, heart failure, tuberculosis, pneumonia, lung cancer, and influenza has increased significantly.
In 1953, the British government established the Beaver Commission, led by Lord Beaver, to investigate the causes of smog and formulate response plans. After a year of investigation, the committee issued the famous "Beaver Report" in 1954, determining that the main cause of pollutants was emissions from coal combustion. After that, the UK quickly established a Clean Air Commission, and in 1956 introduced the Air Purification Act specifically aimed at air pollution, which required the transformation of traditional methods of burning coal and wood, the closure of thermal power plants in London, and industrial companies must build tall chimneys, strengthen the evacuation of atmospheric pollutants, gradually realize the natural gas-based life of residents, and adopt measures such as central heating in winter.
Since then, the British government has been determined to control smog and vigorously develop environmental monitoring and new energy technology research and development, which has been continued ever since. Since 1961, the UK has used self-developed patented equipment to establish an air monitoring network with 450 organizations and 1,200 monitoring points across the country. Smoke and sulfur dioxide are sampled on average once an hour, and dustfall is measured once a month. , of which three cities, London, Edinburgh and Sheffield, have been listed as key monitoring areas. At the same time, vigorously promoting the application of environmental protection patents has played an important role in controlling air pollution and environmental protection in London.
2. Germany:
Germany, a large industrial country, has also experienced a period of smog pollution. More than 40 years ago, the Ruhr industrial area in Germany was plagued by smog, foul-smelling river water, and rampant acid rain. Germany also relies on technology research and development to control smog and other pollution. It has formulated specific measures to put patents first and vigorously apply new energy and green environmental protection technology patents. For example, emission limits are set for all types of vehicles such as cars, light or heavy trucks, buses, and motorcycles. In recent years, the European Commission has begun to implement the new "Euro 6" emission regulations for some new buses and heavy trucks. According to the "Euro 6" standard, the nitrogen oxide and particulate matter content in the exhaust of some buses and heavy trucks in the EU are 80% and 66% lower than the previously implemented "Euro 5" standard, which includes a large number of patented research and development. and applications. At the same time, strict emission standards for large boilers, industrial facilities, and mechanical equipment will be implemented. Establish stricter regulatory standards for emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from coal-fired power plants. According to the directive, operators of coal-fired power plants must show patents for using advanced environmentally friendly technologies and prove reduced environmental impacts in order to obtain permission to continue operating, otherwise they will be shut down.