Alkali Acts
The Alkali Act 1863 was a UK Act of the Parliament under which an alkali inspector and four sub-inspectors were appointed to curb discharge into the air of muriatic acid gas (gaseous hydrochloric acid) from Leblanc alkali works. It was later extended to cover other industrial pollutants.
The Alkali Act 1868, properly known as the Alkali Act Perpetuation Act 1868 or the Alkali Act (1863) Perpetuation Act 1868, made perpetual the Alkali Act 1863.
The Alkali Act 1874 sometimes called the Alkali Act (1863) Amendment Act, made the Chief Inspector statutorily responsible for the standards set and maintained by the Inspectorate.He reported directly to the Permanent Secretary of his department. The first Chief Inspector was Dr Robert Angus Smith. For the first sixty years, the Inspectorate was solely concerned with the heavy chemicals industry, but from the 1920s onwards, its responsibilities were expanded, culminating in the Alkali Order 1958. This placed all major heavy industries which emitted smoke, grit, dust and fumes under the supervision of the Inspectorate.
Alkali, &c. Works Regulation Act 1881
Alkali, &c. Works Regulation Act 1892
Alkali, &c. Works Regulation Act 1906
The Alkali Act 1863 was formally repealed by section 30 of Alkali, &c. Works Regulation Act 1881), though the substance was consolidated in the this and later acts.
The Alkali Acts were replaced by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The above information is condensed from the Wikipedia entry.