A great way to reduce acid rain is to produce energy without using fossil fuels. Instead, people can use renewable energy sources , such as solar and wind power. Renewable energy sources help reduce acid rain because they produce much less pollution.
What has the federal government done to address the problem of acid rain?
Acid Rain Students Site: Clean Air Act Amendment . The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 is a federal law that sets limits on how much pollution is allowed in the air anywhere in the United States.
What is China doing to reduce acid rain?
Lei Duan and colleagues explain that China is trying to stop soil acidification by reducing sulfur dioxide pollution from electric power plant smokestacks . Those emissions cause acid rain, which in turn has made vast areas of farmland more acid and less productive.
Why is China affected by acid rain?
However, China’s widespread air pollution from coal-fired power plants has led to some of the most acidic rain on Earth: Burning coal releases sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, where they are assimilated by falling rainwater, creating sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
What is the main cause of acid rain in China?
A major cause of acid rain in China is the extensive use of coal , which in 2004 accounted for 69% of the energy production. ing ships; 5) and 2× the U.S. emissions of 10 million t in 2002 (6). The extensive coal combustion also results in con- siderable emissions of NOx to the atmosphere.
How does acid rain form Clean Air Act?
Acid rain results when sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO X ) are emitted into the atmosphere and transported by wind and air currents . The SO 2 and NO X react with water, oxygen and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. These then mix with water and other materials before falling to the ground.
How successful was this government action for acid rain?
The new report concludes that the Acid Rain Program—created by bipartisan mandate under Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments—has not only successfully reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) from power plants , but also far exceeded its emissions-reduction goals.
How did the acid rain program reduce acid rain in the US?
The purpose of the ARP was to reduce acid rain deposition by decreasing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from power plants to 50 percent below 1980 levels by 2010 . To achieve this goal, regulators capped the annual aggregate SO2 emissions from central and midwestern power plants and created an allowance trading market.
Is acid rain still a problem in China?
Acid rain is endemic across southeast China, where the highest concentration of people, power plants, and factories are located, and it is considered a serious problem in approximately one third of the country. ... Amid China’s many environmental problems, acid rain has received little international attention.
Who causes acid rain?
Power plants release the majority of sulfur dioxide and much of the nitrogen oxides when they burn fossil fuels, such as coal, to produce electricity. In addition, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses releases nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide into the air. These pollutants cause acid rain.
What are some of the environmental impacts of acid rain?
The ecological effects of acid rain are most clearly seen in aquatic environments, such as streams, lakes, and marshes where it can be harmful to fish and other wildlife . As it flows through the soil, acidic rain water can leach aluminum from soil clay particles and then flow into streams and lakes.
How does acid rain affect Asia?
The pollution in aquatic ecosystems as a result of acid deposition in East Asia is largely a consequence of the terrestrial effects to vegetation and soil as opposed to water acidification through direct contact.
What was the deadliest acid rain?
China is the world’s biggest sulfur dioxide polluter, with 25.49 million tons discharged in 2005, up 27 percent from 2000.
How is China polluted?
But China’s rise means it has swiftly become the largest contributor in recent years. The country emitted 52 megatons of carbon dioxide and equivalent greenhouse gases in 2019, according to a report by the Rhodium Group, and has emitted a cumulative 200 gigatons since 1750.
What color is acid rain?
When you add acid, bromothymol blue turns yellow ; when you add a base (like sodium sulfite), it turns blue. Green means neutral (like water).
What are 3 effects of acid rain?
Acid rain has been shown to have adverse impacts on forests, freshwaters, and soils, killing insect and aquatic life-forms, causing paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges , and weathering of stone buildings and statues as well as having impacts on human health.
