pollution control Chemical and physical methods to lessen discharges of most pollutants; for carbon dioxide there is, at present, no economic or practical way to reduce the quantities discharged except by reduced fossil fuel usage. Most specific means for removing pollutants from emissions include flue-gas desulphurisation, fluidised combustion, catalytic converters and the redesign of equipment, such as furnace burners and car engines, to lessen the production of pollutants