The organisation traces its roots back to the foundation of the Coal Smoke Abatement Society (CSAS) set up in 1898, making it one of the oldest environmental NGOs. CSAS was founded by London-based artist Sir
William Blake Richmond, who became frustrated by low light levels in the winter caused by coal smoke. In an 1898 letter to the Times calling for action Sir William said that, "the darkness was comparable to a total eclipse of the sun". Over the following decades the CSAS was instrumental in the introduction of the 1926 Public Health (Smoke Abatement Act) and the
Clean Air Act 1956. The latter started life as a private members bill promoted by Sir
Gerald Nabarro in the aftermath of the
Great London Smog of 1952. This event saw the deaths of between 4,000 and 12,000 people as a direct result of
air pollution. The original Act was updated by the 1968 and 1993 Clean Air Acts. These Acts led to considerable areas of the UK being declared as Smoke Control Areas where the use of solid fuel is either prohibited or only allowed in authorised appliances. With increasing trends for burning solid fuel either as a lifestyle choice or a perceived cheaper and more sustainable form of heating these laws remain very relevant today. As the menace of coal smoke receded the society changed its name to the National Society for Clean Air, reflecting a broader focus on air pollution from traditional and emerging sources - including a successful campaign to outlaw
stubble burning, crown immunity for incinerators, industrial pollution and transport (including lead in petrol, dirty diesels, low emission zones). During this period membership was drawn from local authorities, industry, consultancy and academia. Following the Clean Air Acts, NSCA worked closely with specialists and government on developing the concept of Local Air Quality Management and successfully lobbying for its inclusion in the
Environment Act 1995. The original Environment Bill covered the establishment of the Environment Agency,
contaminated land, National Parks and waste topics. Through the work two of the Society's vice-presidents (
Lord Lewis of Newnham and
Lord Nathan) an amendment to the Bill was introduced in the
House of Lords (where the Bill began its life) to add what is now Part IV of the Act, Air Quality. The Society assisted in the drafting of the legislation through its Air Quality Committee, set up in 1992 to bring together air quality experts - including local authority officers, consultancy and academia. ==Recent work==