A Pilot Study Of the St.Louis Airshed

Abstract

A linear programming model for air pollution control, adapted to the St. Louis airshed for the year 1975, is described in this paper. It is assumed that air quality goals can be achieved by reducing total emissions of each pollutant to given allowable levels. The pollutants considered are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulates. With the exception of carbon monoxide, the allowable levels are related to air quality goals adopted by the Missouri Air Conservation Commission. The computer solution indicates the set of control methods which achieves the required pollutant reductions at the least total cost. The minimal cost of reducing the five pollutants to permissible levels in 1975 is $35 million a year. Of this cost, $15 million is for the control of coal burning sources. The use of low sulfur coal proved to be less important than processes for removing sulfur dioxide from the flue gas of power plants and the substitution of natural gas for coal. The solution indica...