| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for abating the pollution of the air. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 52 |
| Introduced by | Gerald Nabarro (Commons) |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 5 July 1956 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Clean Air Act 1993 |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
The Clean Air Act 1956 (4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 52) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted principally in response to London's Great Smog of 1952. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in England and the Department of Health for Scotland, and was in effect until 1993.
The Act introduced a number of measures to reduce air pollution. Primary among them was mandated movement toward smokeless fuels, especially in high-population "smoke control areas" to reduce smoke pollution and sulphur dioxide from household fires. The Act also included measures that reduced the emission of gases, grit, and dust from chimneys and smoke-stacks.
The Act was a significant milestone in the development of a legal framework to protect the environment.[1] It was modified by later enactments, including the Clean Air Act 1968.[2]
The Act was repealed by the Clean Air Act 1993.[2]
- ^ Brimblecombe, Peter (2006). "The clean air act after 50 years". Weather. 61 (11): 311–314. Bibcode:2006Wthr...61..311B. doi:10.1256/wea.127.06. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
It remains a seminal piece of legislation because it created a belief that a better environment was possible and worthwhile despite the fact that at times it would restrict our individual freedom
- ^ a b "Clean Air Act 1993". legislation.gov.uk. 27 May 1993. Retrieved 9 April 2017.