How the use of coal in the factories in the industrial cities of England polluted the environment ? How was it controlled ?
(1) The widespread use of coal in homes and industries in the 19th century England raised serious problems as mentioned below : In industrial cities such as Leeds, Bradford and Manchester, hundreds of factory chimneys spewed black smoke into the skies. People joked that most inhabitants of these cities grew up believing that the skies were grey and all vegetation was black. Shopkeepers, homeowners and others complained about black fog that descended on their towns, causing bad tempers, smoke-related illnesses and dirty clothes. (2) How smoke was controlled : When people first joined campaigns for cleaner air, the goal was to control the nuisance through legislation. This was not at all easy since factory owners and steam engine owners did not want to spend on technologies that would improve their machines. By the 1840s, a few towns such as Derby, Leeds and Manchester had laws to ‘ control smoke in the city. But the smoke was not easy to monitor or measure and owners got away with small adjustments to their machinery that did nothing to stop the smoke. Moreover, the Smoke Abatement Acts of 1847 and 1853, as they were called, did not always work to clear the air.
