Even though it is widely assumed that pollution is more of a major problem in the post-industrial era, it was a prominent topic in ancient Rome as it is today in the United States. Roman's faced everyday problems such as air and water pollution from the sewage, which sat in the streets and the runoff from garbage. Air pollution was affected from the burning of mass amounts of wood for heat and craft workshops. Romans also had to deal with the toxicity of lead and mercury in mines; although ironically, they often dined off plates that contained lead.
The primary problem with the sewage and other solid waste was finding a plausible means of disposal. The ingenuity of the Romans enabled them to come up with solutions to most of their environmental problems through urban development and progressive ideas. Solutions and relevant facts include:
- Justinian declared that water and air were public property to all, which allowed many regulations to be made regarding them. These public health programs were superior to most of the empires that followed until modernity.
- The Roman Senate passed a law to protect water stored during dry periods so it could be released for street and sewer cleaning.
- Due to severe traffic congestion, Julius Caesar passed a law that forbid people from entering Rome with wheeled vehicles outside the hours of sunrise and two hours before sunset.
- They constructed sewers to dispose of sewage and aqueducts to bring in fresh water to its parched citizens.
- The first sewer was built in 500 B.C. Better sewers were built throughout the city since then.
- In 100 A.D. the Romans also experimented with solar pumps.
- They built hospitals and had physicians attend to the poor masses of people exposed to lead and mercury.
- Some people believe that the decline of the empire may have been from the toxicity from lead and mercury. Even though it was presumed to be bad for peoples’ health, the Romans continued to use it in everyday life (sugar, cups, plates).