Smog in Milan. Scientists and Technicians in the Fight against Air Pollution in Italy (1950-1966)

Italy addressed the issue of air pollution comprehensively only in the post-World War II period, lagging behind the major industrialized countries. The impetus to investigate this phenomenon and take measures to counter it came particularly from some groups of scientists and technicians active in the city of Milan, then one of the country’s most important industrial centers. This article will focus primarily on the learning process that, through constant engagement with the international debate, allowed these individuals to acquire categories and investigative tools that were previously almost entirely unknown. Additionally, it will attempt to reconstruct the interaction between scientists and technicians concerned with pollution issues on one side, and local and national political institutions on the other. Finally, the main outcome of this dynamic will be highlighted: the approval of the first environmental policy measure in Italy’s history, the «anti-smog law» of 1966.