The Great London Smog of 1952 was a severe air pollution event that covered London in a thick smog for five days between December 5-8, 1952. [1] It caused increased mortality, with over 4,000 additional deaths reported during and after the smog event. [2] The smog was caused by a combination of weather conditions trapping pollution from coal smoke and other emissions close to the ground. High levels of sulfur dioxide were measured during the smog and linked to increased respiratory disease deaths. [3] The event highlighted the need for improved air pollution regulations in the UK and led to the Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968.

1. MAN MADE DISASTERS: THE GREAT
LONDON SMOG OF 1952
DHEEMAN GHOSH
Roll number - 48
Stream – MPSM
Environment (2011-13)

2. “A serious disruption of the
functioning of a community or a
society involving widespread
human, material, economic or
environmental losses and impacts,
which exceeds the ability of the
affected community or society to
cope using its own resources.”
- United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction
(UNISDR)
MAN MADE DISASTER
“Technological or man-made hazards leading to disaster (complex
emergencies/conflicts, famine, displaced populations, industrial
accidents and transport accidents) are events that are caused by
humans and occur in or close to human settlements.”
IFRC Definition

3. THE LONDON SMOG: CRESCENDO TO A
PERSISTANT PROBLEM?
 Fog or haze intensified by smoke or other
atmospheric pollutants.
Smoke and fog long a problem of London
life.
 Enhanced death rates evident by 1650
 Widely understood by 1890s
 19th C legislative control of smoke not
very effective.
A dense fog covered Greater London
between the 5 and 8 December
1952, accompanied by a sudden rise in
mortality that far exceeded
anything previously recorded during
similar periods of smog.

4. THE LONDON SMOG: LOSS DYANAMICS
4000+ deaths in between 5-8
December
12,000 unexplained and additional
deaths during the episode and in the
2 months after the peak fog ebbed
(Bell and Davis 2001)
The first reported casualties of the
smog were cattle at the Smithfield
Show.
 Paramount losses in air , road MIT –Forbes study: The total
and rail traffic. Fire, Burglary. monetized life loss in the UK was
estimated at £6–6.2bn or 5.8 to 11.2%
Mortality statistics showed that the of gross domestic product quantified
smog had the greatest effect on over the next 5 year scale
people over 65 and those already
suffering

6. THE MAIN CULPRIT: SULPHUR DIOXIDE
 An anticyclone (an area of high pressure)
was centered over S.England - complete
absence of wind.
 Produced a temperature inversion resulting
in cold air to sink in previously unprecedented
volumes.
 This made the smog become widespread
and menacing like never before!
 During the smog, both smoke and sulphur
dioxide levels reached exceptional concentrations.
Respiratory diseases alone accounted for 59 %
of the increase in deaths registered in the week
ending 13 December and 76 % in the following
week.
Bronchitis and emphysema were the two
conditions that stood out in the coroners. records
as showing the greatest increase.

7. GAP ANALYSIS: CAUSES OF FAILURE
• The improper regulations of the Public Health Act (1936) – chimney
heights, no smoke control areas, age old industrial premises
• Legislative bureaucracy of the London Council Committee (LCC) – “95% of
the smoke came from the 70000 plus homes”
• Till 1856 before passing of the Smoke Abatement Metropolis Acts, the
common belief was smoke behaved as an antiseptic and tonic! –
repercussions reached a tumult even a century after stopping.

8. DISASTER MITIGATION & DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
 The Clean Air Act 1956, which was later amended and extended by the
Clean Air Act 1968, constituted the primary legislation limiting pollution
by smoke, grit and dust from domestic fires as well as commercial and
industrial processes.
The 1956 Act is probably best remembered for its introduction of Smoke
Control Areas, often referred to as .smokeless zones.

9. DISASTER MITIGATION & DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Control in Industrial Processes:
oThe Alkali Act of 1874, string of amendments finally led to the Pat 1 of the
EPA 1990
oIntegrated Pollution Control – BIG INDUSTRIES & Local Air Pollution
Control – SMALL INDUSTRIES.
Standards for Ambient Air Quality:
oThe Commission of the European Communities- member states to agree
levels of pollutant concentrations which were not to be exceeded after
a given date.
oThe first of these Directives relating to air quality, covering
smoke and SO2, came into effect in 1980
oThe Environment Act 1995 also established a system of local air quality
management. This required local authorities periodically to review and
assess the current and future quality of air in their areas

10. DISASTER MITIGATION & DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Changing fuel use
Mayors Air Quality Strategy (1999-)
o The government has set targets for 9 main air pollutants.
o 7 of these pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particles (or PM10), sulphur
dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and lead) have to be
addressed at the local level, including in London
oThe other 2 (ozone and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are being tackled by
national and European Union measures.

11. DISASTER MITIGATION & DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Reducing pollution from road traffic:
• in the short term, targeting emissions reductions from the most polluting vehicles (mainly
heavier diesel vehicles, such as buses, coaches, goods vehicles, waste vehicles, and taxis)
• increasing the take-up of newer, cleaner vehicles and technologies
• increasing the take-up of cleaner fuels
• investigating the feasibility of introducing one or more low emission zones in London, which
would exclude the most polluting vehicles from specified areas
• for the long term, promoting zero emission forms of transport, such as hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles.
Sustainable Buildings:
A significant proportion (21 per cent) of air pollution in London comes from energy use in
buildings, particularly for heating. The Authority will work to achieve reductions in emissions
from buildings by:
" constructing more energy efficient new buildings
" improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings & power driven instruments inside
" using cleaner fuels
" using renewable energy technologies such as solar water heating.

12. HUMANE AND LEGAL MEASURES
Role of Business:
The Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy sets out a number of measures that businesses are
encouraged to take, including:
• ensuring all vehicles meet cleaner emissions standards
• encourage staff and visitors to use the most environmentally friendly means of transport
• using government grants to help convert vehicle fleets to the cleanest technologies and
fuels.
•reporting their business. emissions and demonstrating continuing and meaningful
improvements in environmental performance.
•adopting renewable energy technologies.
•improving indoor air quality in the workplaces.
Role of Individuals:
The Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy sets out measures that individuals can all take to improve
air quality including:
" using public transport rather than travelling by car & buying cleaner vehicles
" improving vehicle maintenance and driving style
" taking energy efficiency measures such as installing loft insulation or turning lights and
heating off when not needed.

13. A MESSAGE FOR OUR FUTURE
“The London story is not merely
historic. Conditions in
some rapidly developing
countries today can come eerily
close to those of London, either
indoors or outdoors. Although
coal stoves are not generally the
problem, biomass fuels,
garbage, and other incompletely
burned organic materials often
cause unhealthy conditions
inside homes and factories
throughout the world. For
example, in 2010 the mean
annual concentration of total
suspended particulates was 900
μg/m3 in Lanzhou, China, and >
600 μg/m3 in Delhi, India.”

14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 “50 Years on smog in London” – Greater London Authority 2002
print.
 “50 years on from the clean air act” – P. Brimblecombe
 “Smog Look back” – Environmental Health Perspectives Vol 110
No 12 December 2002
 http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/2008/11/a-proper-pea-
souper-the-terrible-london-smog-of-1952/
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2012/04/22/mit-study-
air-pollution-linked-with-early-deaths-in-uk/

15. THANK YOU