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Herbert J. Weber
To cite this article: Herbert J. Weber (1961) Air Pollution Problems of�the Foundry
Industry , Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association, 11:4, 157-172, DOI:
10.1080/00022470.1961.10467985
In the eyes of the public the are concerned. This is borne out by the With respect to particulate contami-
foundry industry is a potential source of refusal of most courts to consider health nants, it is necessary to differentiate be-
air pollution but when it is compared injury in litigation involving air pollu- tween the emission of coarse solid parti-
with many other basic industries, one tion. In these cases, the tendency has cles which may create a nuisance in the
finds that the equipment needed to re- been to evaluate the pollution on the ba- immediate vicinity of the plant and the
duce pollution of the air by con- sis of nuisance and damage to property. emission of extremely fine particles or
taminants from the foundry is for the fumes which are ordinarily carried for
most part in common use. Collectors Effect on Animals miles by prevailing winds without set-
that reduce particulate emissions from Foundry emissions contain no known tling. The former instance may be
grinding, cleaning, material handling, contaminants in concentrations which termed "local nuisance" and often re-
shakeouts, etc., have been in use for affect the well-being of domestic ani- sults in complaints from those whose
years by most foundries. mals. laundry on the clothes line has been
It is recommended that foundrymen soiled by settling material, or from own-
study and understand the effects that air Effect on Vegetation ers of cars parked in nearby lots, etc.
pollution can cause on man, animals, While the growing of certain plants in Local nuisances resulting from the set-
vegetation, and property as well as on the immediate vicinity of a foundry has tling of coarse material discharged to
the surrounding areas. been shown to be unwise, instances of atmosphere are the source of most
crop damage traceable to foundry opera- neighborhood air pollution complaints
Effects of Air Pollutants on Man tion have not been substantiated. As a and are the ones most easily corrected.
In only a few isolated cases such as the district becomes industrialized, the sur- The effect of the fine material which
Meuse Valley of Belgium in 1930, rounding agricultural land becomes less is distributed over large areas is debat-
Donora, Pennsylvania, in 1948, and and less desirable for its original pur- able and may be aesthetic rather than
more recently the London fog, has air pose. In some cases, the value of the economic in significance. Fortunately,
pollution been blamed for sickness and land becomes so great due to nearby in- pollution problems of the magnitude
deaths among people. In many cases dustrialization that it becomes un- encountered in Los Angeles are rare.
the victims were already afflicted with a economical to continue to raise crops on Where widely dispersed solid and liquid
respiratory disease or other physiological it. Other problems which affect the particles create problems, unfavorable
complications. Rare indeed is the growing of crops in areas surrounding in- topography and meteorological condi-
combination of topographical and dustrial districts include stream pollu- tions play important' parts in creating
meteorological conditions which permit tion and the "poisoning" of soil by seep- these problems. Oddly enough, the
the accumulation of sufficient pollution age from settling basins, and the like. very fine material, because of its visi-
to produce an acute effect. bility in the air, may create more com-
The systemic effect on man of more Effect on Property plaints from a given area than does the
normally encountered types of air pollu- The estimated annual cost of corro- coarse material which quickly settles.
tion from ferrous foundries has not been sion in large industrial areas is tremen- Since, in coping with an air pollution
demonstrated. However, there may be dous; however, such corrosion comes problem the psychology of the public re-
instances where stack emissions contain from sulfur dioxide and other acid-gases action to the problem is important, it
toxic materials that must be evaluated in the atmosphere emitted by industrial may be desirable to completely elimi-
with the same procedure used in in-plant plants and also from all types of build- nate visible discharged material when-
industrial hygiene. ings such as homes, shops, churches, ever practical from an initial and main-
Ranging from the reduction of ultra- hotels, schools, and the like, employing tenance cost standpoint.
violet light from the sun due to hazy heating equipment which burns sulfur-
atmospheres to inflammation of the bearing fuel; industry alone cannot be Factors Exaggerating the Problem
eyes, mucous membranes, and respira- held responsible for corrosion due to air If the foundry industry's air pollution
tory system, the effects of air pollution pollution. It is true, however, that problem were confined to the collection
on man will vary according to the there is apt to be more corrosion in of solid contaminants from shakeout
specific reaction of the individual and areas in the immediate vicinity of plants and cleaning room operations, the physi-
the degree of pollution. To date, results which use large amounts of fuel in which cal difficulties involved in satisfactory
of surveys in polluted areas have been gases containing sulfur compounds are collection would be minor and the
inconclusive insofar as health effects discharged to atmosphere. financial hardship would be minimized.
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Index to Advertisers
Beckman Instruments, Inc 148 Leonard C. Mandell 191
Erwin Wasey, Ruthrauff & Ryan, Inc., Los
Angeles
Perkin-Elmer Corp 191
D 1 o VA/I-^I 1 -J c * r- G. M. Basford Co., New York
Beckman & Whitley Inside Front Cover
Gerth, Brown, Clark & Elkus, San Francisco
Research Appliance Co 147
The A l b e r t P Hi Co lnc
Buell Engineering Co., Inc 194 - " -' -' Pittsburgh
Hicks & Greist, Inc., New York
Research-Cottrell, Inc Inside Back Cover
William G. Christy 190 Michel-Cather, Inc., New York