Sulfur-Dioxide

Effects

Sulfur dioxide gas can chemically change into sulfate particles in the atmosphere, a major part of fine particle pollution, which can blow hundreds of miles away, causing serious health effects on people and wildlife.

"Sulfur dioxide causes a range of harmful effects on the lungs:

 - American Lung Association

Sources of Sulfur Dioxide

"Power plants, commercial and institutional boilers, internal combustion engines, manufacturing, and industrial processes such as petroleum refining and metal processing are the largest sources of emissions, followed by diesel engines in old buses and trucks, locomotives, ships, and off-road equipment such as construction vehicles. Emissions of sulfur dioxide will decline as cleanup of many of these sources continue in future years."  - American Lung Association

Fossil Fuels

Burning fossil fuels produces a variety of air pollutants including sulfur-dioxide.

Coal

"Coal-fired power plants remain one of the biggest sources of sulfur dioxide in the U.S., Columns of emissions (plumes) such as from chimneys of a coal-fired power plant are moved by wind over long distances before touching down at ground level at far away sites. These plumes could also get trapped at the ground level by unusual weather conditions such as a layer of warmer air occurring higher up in the atmosphere (inversion). ... People who live and work near these large sources get the highest exposure to SO2." - American Lung Association

Diesel

Petroleum Oil

Industrial

"Ports, smelters, and other sources of sulfur dioxide also cause high concentrations of emissions nearby." - American Lung Association

Solutions

"SO2 levels have improved over time, thanks to policies requiring cleaner fuels and pollution controls on power plants. The nation achieved major reductions in this pollutant through its successful program to reduce acid rain.

However, it remains a health concern. What’s more, even with pollution controls installed, high levels can occur when a polluting source such as a power plant is starting up or shutting down its operation or if its equipment malfunctions.

Individuals can take steps to protect themselves on days with unhealthy levels of air pollutants and also ask policymakers at all levels of government to continue to require cleanup of air pollution." - American Lung Association

Monitoring

Monitoring pollutants is one of the best ways to understand and prevent them.

Renewable Energy

Switching to energy sources that don't burn resources and produce air pollutants will help clean our air and mitigate climate change.

Greener Transportation

Switching to more environmentally sustainable travel options can help reduce many types of air pollution including sulfur dioxide. This includes using active transport (walking, bike riding, skate boarding, etc.), public transit which moves more people with less resources, and transitioning old models of public transit to newer, energy efficient models (diesil buses and trains to electric or hydrogen) will have a huge positive impact on our air quality.

Monitoring

Bioindicators

Lichen

Usnea is very sensitive to air pollution, especially sulfur dioxide.[18] Under poor growing conditions, such as areas high in pollution, they may grow no larger than a few millimetres, if they survive at all. Where the air is unpolluted, they can grow to 10–20 cm long. It can sometimes be used as a bioindicator, because it tends to only grow in those regions where the air is clean,[19] and of high quality."  - Wikipedia: Usnea

Resources

International

Europe

UK

North America

USA

Organizations

International

Europe

UK

North America

USA

Grants

International

North America

USA

California