Pollution

Plastic pollution over the Indian Ocean. (TV: Praxeus ^[+]Pete McTighe and Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 12 (BBC One, 2020).)

Pollution was the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, usually caused by industrial activity.

Earth's Industrial Revolution prompted the pollution of the planet by humanity. Chemical and industrial waste had a detrimental effect on the air and the rivers. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs ^[+]Malcolm Hulke, Doctor Who season 11 (BBC1, 1974).)

In the 1970s, a rise in ecological consciousness produced several anti-pollution activists. Clifford Jones protested the opening of the Global Chemicals oil refinery in Llanfairfach, which was later found to be dumping lethal toxic waste into the abandoned coal mine and was shut down. (TV: The Green Death ^[+]Robert Sloman, Doctor Who season 10 (BBC1, 1973).) Sir Charles Grover formed Operation Golden Age to return Earth to its pre-industrial state. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs ^[+]Malcolm Hulke, Doctor Who season 11 (BBC1, 1974).) Professor J. P. Kettlewell developed pollution-free technologies such as a solar battery and a metal virus that would break down metal waste into easily recyclable form. (TV: Robot ^[+]Terrance Dicks, Doctor Who season 12 (BBC1, 1974-1975).) Australia was known to a computer at this time as the country's life-support systems were in danger of collapse due to pollution. (TV: Dr. Who For Keep Australia Beautiful ^[+]1979.)

Sarah Jane Smith watches a video about the harmful effects of pollution in the reminder room. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs ^[+]Malcolm Hulke, Doctor Who season 11 (BBC1, 1974).)

In the early 21st century, industrial pollution was so severe that the planet was reaching the point of no return. The Butler Institute planned to save humanity from the environmental collapse by uploading copies of their minds into computers. The Seventh Doctor and Ace put a stop to this, forcing the world's business corporations to instead fund a massive environmental clean-up program. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Warhead ^[+]Andrew Cartmel, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1992).)

By 2050, pollution had made Britain on average three degrees warmer that it had been in the Middle Ages, and all the oak trees and birches had been cut down or died out. (TV: The Last Oak Tree ^[+]Jim Noble, K9 series 1 (2010).) That year, Inspector Drake polluted the River Thames with chenium, but this was cleaned up by the Medes. (TV: Alien Avatar ^[+]Graeme Farmer, K9 series 1 (2010).)

In 2088, pollution and global warming were devastating the Earth with pollution levels so high it was hard to breathe. An alien race calling itself the Benefactors offered to help clear Earth's atmosphere using what the human race dubbed whales. However, the Tenth Doctor recognised the Benefactors as a race called the Cineraria who conquered planets through stealth, wiping out the population and stripping the resources. After the Doctor exposed the Cineraria, they retreated, but had cleared the atmosphere enough to give humanity plenty of breathing space. The Doctor encouraged the human race to figure out the rest and to recover the Cineraria technology that was left behind which could help if it was reverse-engineered. As they left, the Doctor told Martha Jones that humanity would get it all sorted out within the next decade and save the planet. (PROSE: Breathing Space ^[+]Steve Lockley and Paul Lewis, The Story of Martha (2008).)

In 2137, the corporations successfully lobbied for the repeal of anti‐​pollution laws. (PROSE: Lucifer Rising ^[+]Jim Mortimore and Andy Lane, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1993).)

In the 25th century, Earth was heavily polluted. (TV: Colony in Space ^[+]Malcolm Hulke, Doctor Who season 8 (BBC1, 1971).)

By the 26th century, the oceans had been polluted, irradiated, set on fire and boiled off into a thick sludge. (PROSE: Ship of Fools ^[+]Dave Stone, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1997).)

In the 30th century, Earth was heavily polluted, with most of the population living in Overcities. (TV: The Mutants ^[+]Bob Baker and Dave Martin, Doctor Who season 9 (BBC1, 1972)., PROSE: Original Sin ^[+]Andy Lane, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1995).)

In the 52nd century, Earth no longer had winters, due to pollution. (PROSE: The Frozen ^[+]Rupert Laight, Doctor Who web short stories (Doctor Who website, 2007).)

In the year 500000, Earth was so polluted that its surface was just a chemical slime. (TV: The Curse of Fenric ^[+]Ian Briggs, Doctor Who season 26 (BBC1, 1989).)

In the far future, the planet Endpoint was heavily polluted due to being used as a waste dumping ground by the inhabitants of its system. (PROSE: Hope ^[+]Mark Clapham, BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures (BBC Books, 2002).)