Air Pollution and Collision on I-75
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2 air pollution cases in the 20th century
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the LA smog and the London fog of 1952
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natural vs. human made sources for air pollution
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natural - volcanoes & fires; human made - vehicles, factories, power plants
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what are the top 3 common air pollutants?
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vehicles, coal plants, and factories
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6 different gases given off by common air pollutants and what makes them
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carbon monoxide (cars & factories), carbon dioxide (cars, factories & coal), nitrous oxide (cars & coal), sulfur dioxide (coal), methane (factories & landfills), PAHs (carcinogens in diesel fuel truck/bus)
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3 other air quality concerns
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power plants, acid rain & temperature inversions
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disease connections to air pollution (5)
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asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), lung cancer, carboxyhemoglobin effect, and BRI (building related illnesses such as tobacco smoke & legionnaire's disease)
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examples of global warming & health issues (i.e. deforestation, mosquitos, and climate changes?)
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deforestation results in a loss of potential medicines from plants & more CO2 is in the atmosphere; mosquito borne disease vectors increasing; coastal flooding & seafood deaths as ocean climate changes
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Where did the accident on I-75 occur?
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Calhoun, TN; near the Hiwasee River
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How did the paper mill along with the geography/topography of the area contribute to the accident? Who first started researching it?
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Wayne Davis; noticed that accidents occurred when there were temperature drop-offs which causes atmospheric inversions (warm air acts as a blanket, trapping cold air along with pollutants & water vapor, turns into fog); the mill emits tons of water vapor that adds to the fog
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What is the name of the company that owned the paper mill?
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Bowater
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What is the company's first responses to their possible involvement in the situation?
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They deny it because the fog existed in that area even before the paper mill was built, and nature could be responsible. They asked for absolute scientific facts that they caused the fog.
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What did the company do/say when researchers proposed studies?
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They shut the studies down, Wright (lawyer) said that doing these studies ignored other possible contributors to the fog, like Olin chemical plant or the salt plant
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How is the department of transportation also at fault for these accidents?
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no appropriate warning systems for the fog, didn't close down the road or anything
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What other professionals had to be brought in to study the issue since scientific proof was needed?
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Steve Hanna (meteorologist), NCASI, Wayne Davis, etc...
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Who is Douglas Fees and what was his role in the situation?
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Plaintiff's attorney, mechanical engineer; used up all his money to fight for the victims, close to filing for bankruptcy
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What challenges did the law firm face when trying to represent the victim's families?
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costed a lot of money, firm broke up, Bowater's lawyers were getting inside Fee's partner's heads
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What was Bowater's response to the accusation? (i.e. Sheil in public relations) (3)
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If Bowater was responsible, there would be deadly fog everyday, but there isn't; also says that there has always been fog in that area, the fog didn't start when the mill was built; claims that what it really needs is stricter laws to enforce speed reactions and warning systems on the roads
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What role did the water vapor from the mill play in the fog's development?
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The wastewater ponds were located near the interstate, so the water vapor could have contributed to the atmospheric inversion fog
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What legal obligations did the paper mill face? (3)
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Forced to release the study done by ERT, said it could have contributed up to 40% of the fog; Settled with Fee's as well as other lawyers that the victims hired; closed its settling ponds
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What did the department of transportation do to try to help avoid similar accidents in the future? (2)
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TN spent money on a sophisticated roadway system (fog protection devices, signs, technology, gates to close off the interstate), and transportation officials took into account industrial emissions that reduce visibility
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What are other sources that may be contributing to global warming besides automobile exhaust? (2)
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particulate matter from factories or coal burning plants or natural sources like volcanoes and fires
