New York Low Pressure Boiler COF Practice

Before the Clean Air Act, which atmospheric pollutant was primarily concerned?

1. Carbon monoxide

2. Ozone

3. Sulfur dioxide

4. Nitrogen oxide

The correct answer is: Sulfur dioxide

The primary atmospheric pollutant of concern before the Clean Air Act was sulfur dioxide. This is largely due to the significant role it played in causing acid rain, which became a major environmental issue in the mid-20th century. Sulfur dioxide is emitted from fossil fuel combustion, particularly from power plants and industrial sources. The growing realization of its detrimental effects on both the environment and human health, including respiratory problems and ecosystem damage, brought it to the forefront of environmental regulation discussions. Before the establishment of the Clean Air Act in 1970, many urban areas experienced severe pollution problems, much of which was attributed to sulfur dioxide emissions. The Act aimed to regulate emissions of sulfur dioxide, among other pollutants, to protect air quality and public health. The acknowledgment of sulfur dioxide's harmful impact paved the way for subsequent regulations and control measures in air quality management. While carbon monoxide, ozone, and nitrogen oxides are also significant pollutants, the pressing concern regarding acid rain associated with sulfur dioxide made it a key focus of early air quality legislation.