15 vintage photos show what New York City looked like before the US regulated pollution

Smog obscures a view of the George Washington Bridge in New York City in May 1973.

Chester Higgins/Documerica

• Before environmental regulation, New York City struggled with severe pollution.
• The city's coastlines were often the sites of illegal dumping.
• Pollution regulations began after the Environmental Protection Agency was formed in 1970.

If you've ever spent time in New York City, you'll be familiar with the black trash bags that form mountains on its sidewalks.