Industrial air pollution is one of our biggest air pollution problems in the world. In every country we have problems with the toxic gases that are released into the air every day while our products are made and our trash is burned.

This is obviously distressing to think about, and we need to look past the basic color (or lack thereof) that we see in the air.

The problem with industrial air pollution is that the release of toxins from plants and industrial institutions is very high for the per capita allowance. More air pollution problems are caused by industrial institutions than anything else, and many of these institutions are in chronic violation of air pollution regulations.

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They do not risk being shut down, which would be more effective, but rather they run the risk of being fined by OSHA, which is often a fine that totals less than the cost of making emission improvements.

OSHA has to prove that the emissions are coming from the plant before a fine can be handed out. OSHA also has to gain access to the building which can be deterred for several weeks by management.

With tighter regulations, companies would have to make a choice between compliance and being shut down.

The cost of compliance can be steep, and there is a huge fear that jobs would be lost at a time when the economy can not handle any more job losses. There are government programs that will help these industries become nearly emission free without such taxing financial hardships, but these programs are only making a tiny scratch in a problem that requires a jackhammer to solve.

Industrial air pollution is particularly scary because the general public is not really aware of just how much damage those billowing smoke stacks are doing to the planet’s air. It seems as though the color of these smokestacks has improved over years.

Very few industries still release the thick black billows into the air but now release white billows into the air. This visual change has set enough minds at ease that the actual test results from these buildings can be shocking.

Emissions are not just color based. Gases that are released from these buildings fly up into the atmosphere and react with the natural gases that are found in the atmosphere. Some gases continually react, causing serious damage to the ozone layer, the breathable air, and then contribute to other forms of pollution when it rains.

Industrial air pollution is starting to gain worldwide recognition. It is well beyond time to make sure that these industries comply with the strictest of standards and have no simple option other than compliance.

The fines that are imposed are woefully under estimated and the companies that have the option to buy back “carbon credits” are not doing the atmosphere any favors.

Carbon credits are sold to individuals and companies as a method of offsetting the damage by giving money to organizations that claim to clean up the carbon released into the air.

Unfortunately, carbon credits are really not effective at cleaning up the air, and are certainly allowing for many industries to remain in violation of regulations legally. In most cases, carbon credits are actually purchased from a company that makes a profit on the sale of these credits.

It was a good idea that has done nothing to help the industrial air pollution problem. In fact, it is probably working hard against solving the problem. It is easier for companies to spend a few thousand dollars per quarter rather than make the internal changes that would eliminate or significantly reduce the potential for industrial air pollution damage.

For any industry, the fate of the air quality is far down the list beyond their ability to make a profit. Once the changes are made, however, these industries will be able to make a much higher profit because they will be running so much more efficiently and their running costs will plummet.

This might not be the argument that many industries want to hear, but until we fix the industrial air pollution problem, and start looking further into air pollution solutions, we are running the risk of destroying our own environment.