Great Smog of London and the Reasons For its Occurrence
One of the biggest incidents of air pollution surfaced in the year 1952 in London. It is called The Great Smog of London that resulted due to windless conditions and anticyclone weather. The mixture of smoke and fog in the winter of 1952 caused deep smog that recorded the least visibility. It remained stagnant for 5 days straight in the month of December and dispersed on the 9th.
As per the sources, the prime reason behind this great smog was airborne pollutants floating in the atmosphere of London due to overconsumption of coal. In this article, we will discuss how smog is formed and what resulted in this bizarre phenomenon.
The Great Smog of London: How did it occur?
The formation of lethal smog in London in 1952 resulted in more than 4000 deaths and 100,000 injuries. Historians believe that the number of death can be higher. It happened due to the combination of unnatural weather conditions along with the industrial pollution due to excessive use of coal. The entire city was engulfed in heavy smog resulting in a lack of visibility, breathing problems, and a lot of accidents.
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As per the meteorological investigation of that London Smog, the experts suggest that the atmospheric pressure on that day was abnormally high in comparison to the other days of winter in London. The anticyclone effect of the weather conditions resulted in windless 5 days where the smoke produced from industrial and domestic chimneys mixed well with the fog caused due to the winter season. It eventually formed so thick due to lack of wind that the entire city was blind. A white coat of smog covered the roads, parks, buildings, etc and people could even see what was there within close range.
This London Smog is found in the winter season as the city has already been suffering from air pollution since the 1300s. The conditions deteriorated in the 1600s and even worsened after the industrial revolution where the use of coal increased to a considerable extent. The Great London Smog in 1952 recorded the highest and even penetrated the houses in the capital city of the United Kingdom. People suffered from breathing problems as the density of the smog increased considerably.
People complained about the increasing pollution in the city but the occurrence of this smog clearly showed everyone how it is getting worse. People suffered from breathing problems due to the inhalation of the dense smog comprising toxic soot and other suspended pollutants. Back in the 1700s, King James I restricted burning coal but it was of no use. People even started to use coal more due to industrialization. Smog is what is the combination of smoke and fog called according to the contraction of both terms ‘smoke’ and ‘fog’.
To understand which disaster is related to Smog, we need to realize that it is not a natural phenomenon rather a creation of the outcomes of human activities related to industrialization and manmade air pollution.
What is Smog?
Smog is an example of intense pollution of air that occurs due to the mixing of smoke and suspended particles with fog. Fog is a natural phenomenon where the air moisture becomes denser due to the drop in temperature. It barely messes with the visibility and does not have any taste or odor. Smog, on the other hand, has a significant opacity and odor as the prime constituents are the suspended pollutants in the air.
The appearance of smog intensified and became more in number in the 19th and 20th Centuries due to industrialization and increased use of coal. Improper burning of coal results in the production of suspended particles or soot. This soot along with dense smoke is released from the chimneys of the industries and also the households. The quantity of these pollutants increased so much in the 1950s that caused the Great Smog of London. The problem intensified due to the weather conditions and also for vehicular emissions, agricultural fires, forest burning, etc.
Effects of the Great Smog of 1952
With the occurrence of the dense and deadly smog of London in 1952, the metropolitan citizens became very worried. This smog is also mentioned in the great novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens. Even though public health was in jeopardy, the administration did not pay attention in the early 19th Century as the industries and domestic coal usage offered immense convenience.
After the occurrence of the Great Smog, people realized the severity of using coal to this extent. The fogs were recurrent and more frequent in the city. Due to an anticyclone event, the great smog formed and settled down over the entire city causing over 4000 deaths and 100,000 injuries. Citizens suffered from bronchitis and pneumonia due to London Smog.
The Clean Air Act was then introduced in 1956 as a major step to reduce air pollution and to stop something so lethal from happening again. The restriction of using coal was implemented across the city throughout all the industries and domestic fireplaces. They also switched to natural gasses, petroleum, and electricity as these are much greener choices than coal. The Great Smog of London thus revealed how air pollution is one of the biggest threats we are suffering from.
FAQs on The Great London Smog of 1952
1. What was the Great Smog of London in 1952?
The Great Smog of London was a severe air pollution event that affected the British capital from Friday, 5 December to Tuesday, 9 December 1952. It was a period when a thick, toxic smog, often described as a 'pea-souper', enveloped the city, causing major disruption and a significant public health crisis. This event is considered one of the worst air pollution disasters in European history.
2. What were the main causes of the Great Smog of 1952?
The Great Smog was caused by a combination of man-made and natural factors:
Man-made Pollution: The primary cause was the widespread burning of low-quality, high-sulphur coal in homes and industrial factories. This released huge amounts of smoke, sulphur dioxide, and other pollutants into the atmosphere.
Weather Conditions: A specific weather phenomenon, an anticyclone, settled over London. This created a temperature inversion, where a layer of warm air trapped a layer of cold, stagnant air at ground level, preventing the pollutants from dispersing.
3. How long did the Great Smog of 1952 last?
The Great Smog of London officially lasted for five days, from Friday, 5 December to Tuesday, 9 December 1952. The smog only began to clear when the weather pattern changed, and winds finally swept the polluted air out of the city and into the North Sea.
4. What were the immediate and long-term effects of the Great London Smog?
The effects were devastating:
Immediate Effects: Visibility was reduced to near zero, bringing road, rail, and air transport to a standstill. The most severe impact was on public health, with thousands of people dying from respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia. Initial estimates suggested 4,000 deaths, but modern research indicates the total fatalities were closer to 12,000.
Long-term Effects: The disaster was a major wake-up call, leading to a fundamental shift in public attitude towards air pollution and environmental responsibility. It directly prompted significant legislative action.
5. How did the government respond to the 1952 smog, and what legislation was introduced?
Initially, the government's response was slow. However, the scale of the disaster and public outcry forced action. The most significant outcome was the creation and passing of the Clean Air Act of 1956. This landmark legislation aimed to reduce air pollution by introducing 'smoke control areas' in cities, where only smokeless fuels could be burned. It also shifted homes and industries away from coal towards cleaner alternatives like electricity and gas.
6. Why is the Great Smog of 1952 considered a landmark event in environmental history?
The Great Smog is considered a landmark event because it was one of the first times a direct, undeniable link was established between air pollution and human mortality on a massive scale. It highlighted the deadly consequences of unchecked industrialisation and became a catalyst for the modern environmental movement. The resulting legislation, particularly the Clean Air Act, became a model for environmental policy worldwide.
7. Does London still experience the kind of smog seen in 1952?
No, London no longer experiences the thick, coal-smoke-based 'pea-souper' fogs of the 1950s. Thanks to legislation like the Clean Air Act and a move to cleaner energy sources, the type of pollution that caused the 1952 disaster has been largely eliminated. While the city still faces modern pollution challenges, primarily from vehicle emissions (like nitrogen dioxide), it is a fundamentally different and less visible type of air pollution.
8. How accurate are portrayals of the Great Smog in media like the TV series 'The Crown'?
Portrayals of the Great Smog in media like 'The Crown' are generally accurate in depicting the event's severity and its impact on daily life. They effectively show the eerie atmosphere, the shutdown of the city, and the strain on hospitals. While some specific conversations or character actions may be dramatised for storytelling purposes, the representation of the environmental crisis and the government's initial reluctance to act are rooted in historical fact.
