It blocked out the sun, blackening buildings, increasing the severity of fog, and damaging people’s health. A smoke haze enveloped cities like Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester. UK coal consumption increased from around 10 million tons a year in 1800 to almost 200 million tons in 1950. With the Industrial Revolution Britain became the workshop of the world. The result was the landmark 1956 Clean Air Act. It is linked to terrible health effects, including lung cancer and impaired lung development in children.īritain put in some controls against air pollution after London's killer smog of 1952. In the UK air pollution causes the equivalent of up to 36,000 early deaths every year. Globally, indoor and outdoor air pollution caused around 7 million premature deaths in 2012, according to the World Health Organisation. In developed and developing countries, air pollution – caused by cars, factories and coal fires – is shortening lives.
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