Emergency Air Protection: Implementing Smog Alarm Systems in Central and Eastern Europe

Breiling, M. (1994). Emergency Air Protection: Implementing Smog Alarm Systems in Central and Eastern Europe. IIASA Status Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: SR-94-001

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Abstract

The first alarm system for summer smog was established in 1948 in Los Angeles. Following the tragic London Smog where several hundred people died, the Rhine-Ruhr area set up a winter smog alarm system in the early 1960s. Since that time, many industrialized countries have instituted smog-alarm systems, which have contributed to the reduction of air pollution risks to the public. Perhaps more importantly, these systems have stimulated progress in air pollution abatement technologies, since the costs of closing down industries during smog episodes is often higher than the necessary investments to reduce air pollution. Today, most countries with smog alarm systems have very infrequent air pollution episodes.

The situation is different in industrially developing countries, where serious air pollution episodes are frequent. These countries may need to institute smog alarm systems to protect public health. For this reason, the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe asked IIASA to carry out a study that would help C&E European countries establish their own systems in collaboration with their neighbors.

This report describes experience with winter and summer smog-alarm systems in western countries and makes recommendations for the design of cost-efficient and effective systems for C&E Europe. The Study was carried out in close collaboration with experts in these countries. We hope this report is helpful in assuring that, within a few years, efficient smog alarm systems are in place within the entire C&E European region. Moreover, we hope the information in this study is useful to other regions, in particular the Russian Republic, Ukraine, other states of the former Soviet Union, and also China, India, Brazil and newly industrializing countries.

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