viewpoint John T. Middleton Commissioner National A i r Pollution Control Administration
Sulfur oxides must be controlled Just a couple of years ago, we were estimating that about 26 million tons of sulfur oxides were being emitted annually into the atmosphere over the US.-an assessment which proved to be conservative. As we gathered better data and as demand for energy continued to expand, our estimate moved up to 31 million tons. The estimate for 1970 is 37 million tons. By 1990, our potential to emit sulfur oxides could hit 95 million tons-and again our calculations may well prove on the conservative side. Power plants-the major source of sulfur oxides pollution-are being built more rapidly than indicated by earlier projections, as nuclear power plants are coming in more slowly than was projected. The result probably will be a large increase in plants burning coal or oil (particularly coal) and, along with it, increase in the potential for sulfur oxides pollution. This growing potential represents a serious problem. Sulfur oxides irritate the respiratory system, particularly in the young, the old, and those already crippled with respiratory afflictions. They attack a wide variety of materials. Metals corrode, paints disintegrate, fibers weaken and fade, building materials discolor and deteriorate. Agricultural production drops as plant growth and yield are suppressed. Sulfur oxides contribute to the reduction in visibility that often accompanies air pollution. Health, economics, aesthetics-all suffer when our air is polluted with sulfur oxides. Learning how to control this pollution represents a major effort of the National Air Pollution Control Administration. Although scattered projects were underway earlier, fiscal year 1968 marks the beginning of a comprehensive sulfur oxides research program. We spent $9.8 million on the program that year; in fiscal 1970, we will spend an estimated $12.5 million. The burning of fossil fuel-by public utilities, industry, and commercial and residential buildings-accounts for about 75% of the total national emissions of sulfur oxides. Industrial processes, principally smelting of nonferrous metals and refining of petroleum, account for most of the remainder. T o halt the alarming rise of pollution by sulfur oxides requires new or improved methods for control of all these sources. Varying as they do in size, design, age, and location, they call for a diversity of highly flexible processes. We are putting major emphasis on developing control technology for public utilities. Since they account for more than half the national emissions, progress there could mean a big payoff. The technology developed
for utilities also may be applicable with suitable modification to large industrial combustion operations. For the most part, however, in industry, as in commercial and residential combustion, use of low-sulfur fuel appears to be the most practical solution at present. Defining the technical problems and finding practical solutions to the control of sulfur oxides pollution is a tremendous task-one the federal government can’t do by itself. Private industry knows the problems first hand, and it has the skills to carry a control idea through all the developmental stages. Even more importantly, industry alone can integrate new processes or devices into existing technology. The federal government is beginning to tap the technical resources of the private sector. In fiscal 1969, we had about 200 contracts totaling $20 million with the private sector; a little less than half the funds went to sulfur oxides projects. But the nation needs more than industry’s technical skills. It also needs its financial resources. Fortunately, industry is beginning to respond. For example, the petroleum industry spent $23 million during 1966, 1967, and 1968 on research and development on sulfur oxides, according to estimates of the American Petroleum Institute. The chemical industry is beginning to put its own money into the effort. But we need more help, and especially from the electric power industry, There are, of course, some economic risks in such efforts. Thus far, the industry has not assumed its rightful share of these risks. It must do so. In particular, we need industry help in large-scale demonstrations of techniques that have cleared testing in laboratories and pilot plants. Practical solutions, economic solutions can be found to control sulfur oxides research-but only with participation of all segments of the American economy.
John T . Middleton has been NAPCA commissioner since January 1967. Formerly, he was professor at the University of California, Riverside, and chairman o f the California Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board Volume 4, Number 2, February 1970 89
