(3) Regulation by Air Pollution Control Law (1968)

The Advance of Environmental Pollution Control Policy

Notwithstanding the application of the Soot and Smoke Regulation Law, air pollution caused by SO2 did not decline satisfactorily. What broke the deadlock at that time was a more advanced system extended by the Air Pollution Control Law. In contrast with the Soot and Smoke Regulation Law which only regulated emission of pollutants, the Air Pollution Control Law imposed control of ground concentration of pollutants known as “K-value control”.
This system encouraged private enterprises to use tall smokestacks thereby successfully reducing pollution problems due to SO2 in the vicinity of the complex. Consequently, the morbidity rate of respiratory diseases has rapidly declined (Sec Figure 2-4,and 2-5). Iron-ically, heightened stacks had spread pollutants over more extended areas.