Eradicating Air Pollution: Clear Skies Ahead

Air pollution is a pressing issue in many cities, and it can have detrimental effects on the health and well-being of citizens. In the game Cities: Skylines, players face similar challenges in managing air pollution, which is caused by industry, traffic, garbage management, and specific power plants. While it may be tempting to simply relocate polluted areas away from residential neighbourhoods, this is not always a feasible solution. This introduction will explore the various strategies that can be employed to effectively reduce and remove air pollution in skylines, ensuring healthier and more sustainable urban environments.

How to Remove Air Pollution in Skylines

Remove pollution sources like factories, power plants, incinerators, and garbage dumps

To reduce air pollution in skylines, it is essential to address the sources of pollution, including factories, power plants, incinerators, and garbage dumps.

Factories

Factories and industrial operations can implement several measures to reduce air pollution. One approach is to transition to greener and more energy-efficient processes, optimizing their operations to reduce energy consumption and, consequently, lower emissions. Additionally, factory managers can utilize abatement mechanisms to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and other harmful compounds before they are released into the atmosphere. Catalytic oxidizers, for instance, employ chemical catalysts and high temperatures to break down pollutants into harmless compounds. By adopting these strategies, factories can significantly minimize their air pollution output.

Power Plants

Power plants, particularly coal- and oil-fired ones, are major contributors to air pollution. The adoption of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011 has been instrumental in reducing pollution from power plants. These standards have successfully reduced emissions of hazardous pollutants, including mercury, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, thereby improving air quality and public health. The success of these standards underscores the importance of implementing and upholding stringent regulations to curb power plant pollution.

Incinerators

Incinerators play a critical role in waste management, but they can also be a source of air pollution if not properly controlled. Advanced incinerators with air pollution control (APC) employ various technologies to minimize emissions. For example, under-fire and over-fire air techniques improve combustion speed and efficiency, leading to better flue gas scrubbing and particulate removal. Additionally, scrubbers and filtration systems help remove pollutants from the flue gas before it is released into the atmosphere. By utilizing incinerators with effective pollution control measures, the environmental impact of waste management can be significantly reduced.

Garbage Dumps

Garbage dumps, or landfills, contribute to air pollution through the release of methane and other harmful gases. To address this, implementing comprehensive waste management strategies is crucial. This includes promoting recycling initiatives, reducing plastic pollution, and encouraging the use of organic products and mulching in gardens to minimize the use of harmful chemicals. By holding leaders accountable and advocating for sustainable practices, communities can drive systemic changes that lead to reduced pollution and a healthier planet for future generations.

Zone low-rent housing near highways and under overpasses

Zoning low-rent housing near highways and under overpasses is a common practice, but it can have detrimental effects on the health of the residents. Traffic-related air pollution is associated with asthma, respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and increased mortality. Therefore, it is essential to consider ways to mitigate the impact of air pollution on these communities.

One way to address this issue is to implement policies that reduce traffic-related pollution. This can include investing in multimodal infrastructure and services, such as promoting public transportation, creating dedicated bike lanes, and encouraging carpooling or ride-sharing programs. Additionally, implementing traffic-calming measures like speed bumps and roundabouts can help reduce vehicle speeds and, consequently, lower emissions.

Another strategy is to establish buffer zones between highways and residential areas. This can involve creating green spaces, parks, or sound barriers that absorb or deflect pollution before it reaches nearby homes. Planting trees and other vegetation can also help capture pollutants and improve air quality.

It is also crucial to ensure proper ventilation and air filtration in low-rent housing near highways. Installing air filters and using air purifiers can help reduce indoor air pollution levels, creating a healthier living environment for residents.

Furthermore, promoting sustainable transportation options specifically for low-income residents can help reduce their exposure to air pollution. This can include providing discounted or free public transportation passes, offering bike-sharing programs, or creating safe walking paths and infrastructure.

By implementing these strategies, cities can work towards mitigating the impact of air pollution on low-rent housing zones near highways and under overpasses, ultimately improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities.

Use mods like the Pollution Remover mod to disable pollution

While there is no quick solution to removing ground pollution in Cities: Skylines, mods like the Pollution Remover mod can be used to disable pollution. This mod allows you to disable all kinds of pollution, including ground, water, and noise pollution. It is worth noting that this mod only uses game APIs, so it should not conflict with any other mods you may be using.

Another mod that can be used to remove pollution is Game Anarchy. This mod can remove pollution as a mechanic, which means you can place buildings near residential zones without worrying about the noise or ground pollution they produce. However, some users have reported issues with this mod, such as negative income for Level 5 residences.

Additionally, the Move It mod can be used to select and remove polluted areas. This mod gives you more control over the placement and arrangement of buildings and other elements in your city, allowing you to create a more realistic and aesthetically pleasing layout.

It is important to note that while these mods can help disable pollution, they may not address all your concerns. For example, one user reported that the Pollution Remover mod did not improve the appearance of trees near industrial areas.

To effectively manage pollution in your city, it is recommended to combine mods with careful planning and placement of services and facilities that output pollution, such as industry, power plants, and garbage management. Additionally, implementing district policies, such as switching to electric buses and enforcing combustion engine bans, can help reduce air and noise pollution.

Implement district policies such as combustion engine bans, heavy traffic bans, and speed bumps

Air pollution is a pressing issue that poses significant risks to human health and the environment. To reduce air pollution in skylines, implementing district policies such as combustion engine bans, heavy traffic bans, and speed bumps can be effective strategies. Here is a detailed look at how these policies can contribute to cleaner air:

Combustion Engine Bans:

The invention of the internal combustion engine revolutionized transportation, but it has also become a significant source of air pollution. Combustion engines, commonly found in automobiles, operate by igniting and combusting a fuel-air mixture, producing exhaust emissions that release pollutants into the atmosphere. By implementing combustion engine bans in certain districts, cities can significantly reduce the presence of these emissions, which include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.

Heavy Traffic Bans:

Traffic congestion is another major contributor to air pollution. When vehicles idle or move slowly in congested areas, they emit higher levels of pollutants. Heavy traffic bans can help alleviate this issue by restricting the entry of certain types of vehicles, such as heavy goods vehicles or cars with high emissions, into specific areas during peak hours. This approach has been effective in cities like London and Stockholm, which have implemented congestion charging zones, leading to reduced traffic-related health risks and increased life expectancy for residents.

Speed Bumps:

While the effectiveness of speed bumps in reducing air pollution is debated, they can play a role in traffic calming. By forcing vehicles to slow down or stop, speed bumps can discourage the use of roads as thoroughfares, reducing through-traffic and potentially diverting it to less residential areas. This can help minimize the concentration of vehicle emissions in specific areas, improving air quality for nearby residents. However, some critics argue that speed bumps do not address the core issue of high vehicle emissions and may even contribute to increased congestion on alternative routes.

To further enhance the effectiveness of these policies, cities can encourage the use of public transportation, electric vehicles, and active travel options like cycling and walking. Additionally, proper planning and placement of industrial areas, power plants, and waste management facilities are crucial to minimizing ground and air pollution, ensuring the well-being of citizens and the sustainability of the environment.

Build air-polluting buildings downwind from residential areas

When it comes to reducing air pollution in Cities: Skylines 2, one of the most critical factors to consider is wind direction. As the wind blows, so does the pollution, spreading across your city in that direction.

To prevent air pollution from reaching residential areas, it is advisable to build air-polluting buildings downwind from these neighbourhoods. This strategy ensures that the wind carries the pollution away from where your citizens live, minimising their exposure to poor air quality.

To effectively implement this strategy, utilise the Air Pollution Info View in the game. This feature provides small arrows that indicate the direction of the wind, allowing you to make informed decisions about building placement.

Additionally, consider the following complementary approaches to combat air pollution:

• Zone industrial and ground-polluting sources away from residential areas.
• Opt for cleaner and renewable energy services, such as nuclear power plants, wind turbines, solar power plants, and wastewater treatment plants.
• Implement district policies such as combustion engine bans, heavy traffic bans, and speed bumps to reduce air and noise pollution.
• Relocate neighbourhoods or the sources of pollution, such as factories, power plants, and incinerators.
• Build the Disease Control Centre and establish the Health Research Institute to decrease the negative effects of pollution and lower the chances of diseases spreading.

Frequently asked questions