Abstract |
A survey of injury resulting from air pollution episodes and assessment of their resultant effect on crop production in 1971 was conducted in New Jersey. Economic loss to crops due to air pollution was estimated at $1,183,800. The survey did not include: indirect losses such as growers' relocation cost, crop substitution losses, nor economic losses to forest trees and ornamental plants and reduction in crop yield due to invisible injury. Three hundred fifteen reported air pollution incidences were investigated and documented during the period of this survey. As a group, vegetables accounted for 51 percent ($598,099) of the total crop loss. The photochemical pollutants were responsible for 80 percent of the plant injury recorded, with ozone contributing about 60 percent and PAN 20 percent of the total. Other pollutants involved were HCl mist, chlorine gas, ethylene, fluoride, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, particulates, oil, and petroleum. (Author) |