Thermal Oxidizers
Clean air and water regulations have been in place throughout the western world since the 1970s. Massive industrial expansion throughout the previous 100 years made many modern cities ugly and hazardous to human health.
As citizens grew more affluent, they had less of a tolerance for the dirty air and water. Some people decided to just move out of the city, but others fought hard to pass environmental regulations that forced companies to produce cleaner emissions and waste. Businesses often fought hard against these new rules, arguing that the economy would get worse as companies had to cut back on pollution, and therefore production.
Overview of main health effects on humans from some common types of pollution (See Wikipedia:Pollution#Human health). Model: Mikael Häggström. To discuss image, please see Template talk:Häggström diagrams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Environmental regulations, however, did not have this affect in the end. One result of these regulations was a burgeoning environmental industry that helped polluters clean up their act. Entrepreneurs saw an enormous opportunity to make money off legacy industries trying to cut back on pollution.
Products like catalytic converters for automobiles and the thermal oxidizer by Adwest Technologies Inc. helped businesses drastically reduce their pollution footprint without sacrificing huge costs and production quotas.
As populations in the developing world continue to gain more money and influence, they will likely put similar pressure on their governments to curb industrial waste into the cities. While business interests will naturally push back at the efforts to begin, cleaner air is better for the health of the entire world.
