Pollution
Pollution is caused by many Buildings when they are working. Pollution hurts Kewa and makes them unhappy, and it makes Peeps unhappy and sick.
Pollution is an unfortunate side effect of industry.
Prevention
Forests are settlements' first line of defense against pollution, because they slowly reduce pollution near them. Placing early polluters like the Burner Generator among several forests can prevent pollution from accumulating or at least give the Peeps more time to build their first Cleaner. Before settlements can obtain Saplings for Terraforming and place Power Lines, placement of early industry buildings can make the difference between comfortable and hectic pollution management.
For areas without Forests, Cleaners supplied with Soot are settlements' next line of defense against pollution. It will require a continuous supply of soot, conveniently supplied by the early Burner Generators and Ore Smelters, and it may take cycling the buildings' tasks off, pausing them temporarily, and two or three Cleaners.
You can use the Pollution Existing and Pollution Rate overlays to see (a) sufficient forests will frequently repaint Low/Medium Pollution with Not Polluted Yet.
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A developed industrial area situated among planted Forests. -
The same area showing overlay indicating no pollution. -
The same area with overlay showing that Forests are keeping up with pollution.
Causes
Buildings that extract, refine, and produce Resources using other resources pollute. Construction buildings and Power buildings are especially bad polluters.
There are 22 buildings that pollute:
| Building | Category | Pollution level |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics Plant | Advanced | High |
| Laser Laboratory | Advanced | High |
| Research Laboratory | Advanced | High |
| Battery Plant | Construction | Very high |
| Blast Mine | Construction | Low |
| Cement Factory | Construction | Very high |
| Metal Smelter | Construction | High |
| Mine | Construction | Low |
| Ore Smelter | Construction | Medium |
| Sawmill | Construction | Low |
| Toolsmith | Construction | Low |
| Trawler | Construction | Medium |
| Chemical Factory | Hazardous | Medium |
| Fuel Maker | Hazardous | Very high |
| Sludge Dehydrator | Hazardous | High |
| Drink Factory | PeepResources | High |
| Kitchen | PeepResources | High |
| Tailor | PeepResources | High |
| Weaver | PeepResources | Low |
| Fuel Generator | Power | High |
| Burner Generator | Power | Medium |
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An industrial area's ground has become discolored with heavy pollution. -
The same area with the Pollution overlay, showing very heavy pollution levels.
Toxic areas
When tiles have become highly polluted or very highly polluted for 15 minutes, the tiles change from [Very] Highly Polluted to Toxic Area. Once an area has become toxic, Peeps will not walk across the tiles, including to visit workplaces within it. These workplaces shut down.
Toxic areas can be cleaned with the Toxic Tile Scraper. Once your settlement starts producing Chemicals, the Cleaner can also be used to clean toxic areas. The scraper is a temporary workplace. Peeps working to clean toxic areas will step onto toxic tiles, but will become unhappy and likely get sick.
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The same area as above has become toxic.
