Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Professor Sue Farran
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of a conference proceedings (inc. abstract) that has been published in its final definitive form by Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, 2022.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
From 5-8 December 1952 London was smog bound – a mixture of fog and pollutants (coal smoke and sulphur dioxide). In a city traditionally notorious for its fogs there was general agreement on its exceptional severity on this occasion. Subsequent mortality figures indicated that at least 4,000 people had died of respiratory issues during the period in the five days and as many as 8,000 in the following months. The primary cause was particulate matter: coal, lead and other metals and diesel – London had switched from electric trams to diesel buses that year. The Great Smog brought home to government the reality and dangers of air pollution and the need for cleaner fuels. As a result, and despite opposition, Parliament brought in the Clean Air Act 1956 (later amended and extended in 1968 and consolidated in 1993). In some cities ‘smokeless’ and/or ‘smoke control’ zones were established, and households were urged to switch to cleaner fuel.At a time when the concept of environmental law was yet to emerge the Clean Air Act was significant in its scope and application. Seventy years on the relevance of air pollution persists.
Author(s): Farran S
Editor(s): Fiona Cownie and Rosemary Achmuty
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: The Neglected Decade: legal issues of the 1950s
Year of Conference: 2022
Online publication date: 23/11/2022
Acceptance date: 02/04/2018
Date deposited: 21/05/2023
Publisher: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London
URL: https://ials.sas.ac.uk/events/neglected-decade-legal-issues-1950s
Notes: This paper along with others will be part of an open access edited collection to be published by London University Press.
