Germany’s Fight Against Industrial Pollution

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31981, 7 May 1969, Page 6

Germany’s Fight Against Industrial Pollution

BONN.

Forty years ago, the German author and philosopher Oswald Spengler prophesied that a haze would darken the sun in industrial areas, that people could only risk a walk outside equipped with gas masks, and that the houses would be filled with filtered air during the last 30 years of this century.

In the Ruhr district, the most densely populated industrial area, the experts are well aware that this apocalyptic dream could actually become reality. If the air filter equipment in Duisburg, the city with the greatest steel production, failed for just one night, 700.0001 b of reddish-brown dust would fall on the houses and streets of this industrial community. Spengler’s dark vision—“the air death will rage even more furiously than the plague”—could then soon ; become true. Only a decade ago, when industry took up a broad stand against air pollution, the average deaths i on smog days in Duisburg i were 150 more than in other I parts of the Ruhr district. ;

The statisticians estimate that in Northrhine-West-phalia alone, the most industrialised state in the Federal Republic of Germany, industry has spent more than 1.5 bililon DM (SUS37Sm) on air purification alone. And yet, the fight for “blue skies over the Ruhr” has by no means been won. Even though air pollution through power plants has been reduced 30 per cent and the amount caused by cement factories by another 70 per cent, the steel industry and the large heating plants have practically solved their problem. To reach their goal of pure air by 1985, German industry will have to dig even deeper into its pockets. One billion DM (SUS2SOm) are needed each year by the already existing sites and equipment. The investments for new measures during tthe new 10

! years will undoubtedly cost . another 30 billion DM (5U557.5 billion). Industry, is by • no means the main delinquent for this - situation. A debate in the German Bundestag (Parliament) last summer clearly revealed that 23 per cent of the present air pollution is caused by household furnaces and 42 per cent by traffic. The Federal Government wants car manufacturers to take effective measures to combat poisonous car gases. As of October 1, 1970 only cars with Otto engines with a carbon monoxide exhaust , of under 3.5 grammes will be registered. In new car types, the amount of car monoxide exhausts may not surpass 2.5 grammes. No limitation has been set on diesel engines so far.—German " Feature Service.