Acid rain has posed a severe environmental threat for the last century. Acid rain is a product of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacting with water vapor (Ahmadi, 2020). SO₂ and NOx emissions come from natural sources such as volcanoes, or from human activities like burning coal and driving cars. To combat the issue of acid rain, some countries, specifically the US, have implemented strategies and programs to cut down the pollution. These strategies have been successful in reducing emissions and pollution (Ahmadi, 2020).
PAST EFFORTS TO MITIGATE ACID RAIN
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2013 report, major environmental issues like acid rain and ozone layer reduction are declining (Ahmadi, 2020). Programs like the Clean Air Interstate Rule and Acid Rain Program have significantly cut down SO₂ and NOx emissions, reducing acid deposition by 85% from 1980 to 2012. However, emissions are still too high to fully restore affected ecosystems (Ahmadi, 2020). UK is another place where there were efforts to mitigate acid rain (Ahmadi, 2020). Efforts to combat acid rain began in London in 1936 and increased after 1970 due to more coal use, raising SO₂ levels. The US passed the Acid Deposition Act in 1980, leading to studies on acid rain. By 1991, 5% of New England's lakes were acidic, affecting soil, water, and structures. The Clean Air Act of 1990 aimed to reduce SO₂ and NOx emissions, significantly lowering them by 2006 (Ahmadi, 2020).
FUTURE EFFORTS TO MITIGATE ACID RAIN
Future effects to reduce prevalence of acid rain includes switching to low-sulfur fuels or alternative energy sources like natural gas, nuclear, and renewables (Ahmadi, 2020). Programs like the EPA's Energy Star promote energy efficiency. Scrubbing methods, such as electrostatic precipitators and flue gas desulfurization, remove pollutants from emissions. The Clean Air Act of 1990 set limits on SO₂ and NOx emissions, and continuous monitoring helps enforce these limits. Cap-and-trade programs also encourage emission reductions. Acid rain damages aquatic life, vegetation, buildings, and health. Bilateral agreements and regional programs aim to combat these effects (Ahmadi, 2020).
Figure 1. Downtown Los Angeles skyline covered in a layer of smog (Stein, 2016).
Figure 2. Decrease in US SO2 emissions from 1970-2015 (1970–2014 SO2 Emissions From Electric Utilities, 2017).
References
Ahmadi, G. M. (2020). Acid rain, causes, effects and control strategies. Int J All Res
Writings, 1, 219-225.
1970–2014 SO2 emissions from electric utilities (By M. A. Brown, Y. Li, E. Massetti, & M. Lapsa). (2017, January 31). Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040619016302548#fig0005
Stein, D. (2016, November 11). Los Angeles smog (By Encyclopædia Britannica). Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/smog#/media/1/550008/239258
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